English 891ZZ - S-Genre, Context & Social Act

This course explores the relationship between genre and transfer as social action. Rhetorical approaches to genre analyze how texts emerge from and shape recurring social situations. Theories of transfer in writing studies explore how writers? literate knowledge moves (or doesn't) across social situations. So how, then, are genres implicated in the transfer of writing knowledge? How might rhetorical genres and writing transfer work together to shape writers? attempts at social action and change. The course will address these questions by considering theoretical work in and empirical studies on rhetorical genre studies, (e.g., Carolyn Miller, Amy Devitt, Angela Rounsaville), activity theory (e.g. Charles Bazerman, Paul Prior, Kevin Roozen), and the transfer of writing knowledge (e.g. Luis Moll & Norma Gonzalez, Beverly Moss, Rebecca Nowacek). Seminar participants will identify a research project they think is important and use genre and/or transfer as a lens to further that project.

This class is open to English graduate students only.