Lunch reception to follow

Join us for a talk by professor of digital rhetoric, Casey Boyle, On Making Sense in Calamitous Times

From carcinogens at the molecular level to climate collapse at a global scale, the space of “everyday” life is now beset–every day–by extraordinary calamities. Given the onslaught of these multiple and unending disasters, it is difficult to come to terms not only with resolutions to these many problems but also to develop a sense of the problems themselves. In short, we fail, repeatedly, to make sense. What senses might we develop, which senseabilities might we cultivate by repeatedly engaging multiple mediations that are not intended to represent but to make sense? In response to these questions, this presentation will make a methodological intervention into our ways of making sense by surveying recent developments of empirical research methods and proposing a renewal of rhetorical methods with and through digital media technologies.

Casey Boyle is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing at the University of Texas at Austin where he researches and teaches digital rhetoric, composition theory, and rhetorical history. His forthcoming book, Rhetoric as a Posthuman Practice, explores the role of practice and ethics in digital rhetoric. You can read more about his work at: http://caseyboyle.net/.

This talk is co-sponsored by the Academic and Professional Writing Program and the Scholars’ Lab.