Author: Ryan Skinnell

Summering on the Continent, 2025

I bumbled around a bunch of places in Europe from June 13-July 26, and now that I’m back home, I can reflect a bit. In sum, I genuinely loved Krakow, the Scottish Highlands, Bruges, Munich (and Bavaria more generally), and Prague. Truly, madly, deeply. Really liked Edinburgh, Maastricht (and its surrounds), and Copenhagen. Lukewarm on … Continue reading Summering on the Continent, 2025 →

Harris Debates Trump, Apparently with Dire Predictions for Ohio’s Housepets: Some Thoughts (and Worries)

I counted it a strong possibility that last night’s debate would not happen. In the negotiations, it seemed to me that the Trump team was looking to introduce loopholes for him to escape through, but clearly I was mistaken. I’m glad because I think it was a really important event, though perhaps not for the … Continue reading Harris Debates Trump, Apparently with Dire Predictions for Ohio’s Housepets: Some Thoughts (and Worries) →

Hitler’s Rhetoric, A Rejection Report (August 2024)

This check-in is a report on a certain kind of failure--specifically, a failure to find a trade publisher for Hitler's Rhetoric. If you've been following along at home, you're no doubt aware that at the very end of November 2023, I sent my book pitch around to about 20 agents. I had interest from a … Continue reading Hitler’s Rhetoric, A Rejection Report (August 2024) →

Hitler’s Rhetoric, A Progress Report (Dec. 2022)

While I don't generally consider myself someone who appreciates the mathematical arts to the same degree I appreciate the linguistic ones, I nevertheless tend to take a significant amount of comfort in quantifying progress on nebulous and/or extended projects. This is a quick quantification of some of the progress I've made on the book I'm … Continue reading Hitler’s Rhetoric, A Progress Report (Dec. 2022) →

ENGL 259, Tentative Reading List (Revised)

WeekDateTopics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines1Aug. 24Introduction to the course / Literacy narrative(s)   Read: Alexie, Superman and I Skinnell, Reading as an Act of Insubordination Sommers, I Stand Here Writing   Optional: Explore DALN (https://www.thedaln.org/#/home)2Aug. 31Parameters of the Task at Hand   Read: Ball and Loewe* Chapter: “America is Facing a Literacy Crisis” (Babb) Chapter: “First-Year … Continue reading ENGL 259, Tentative Reading List (Revised) →

Fall 2021: ENGL 259 – Tentative Reading List

WeekDateTopics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines1Aug. 24Introduction to the course / Literacy narrative(s)   Read: Sherman Alexie Nancy Sommers2Aug. 31The Parameters of the Task at Hand   Read: Ball and Loewe* Chapter: “America is Facing a Literacy Crisis” (Jacob Babb) Chapter: “First-Year Composition Prepares Students for Academic Writing” (Tyler Branson) Chapter: “You Can Learn to Write in … Continue reading Fall 2021: ENGL 259 – Tentative Reading List →

A Too-Long Reflection on Being a “Leader in the Field”

Last week, I finished co-facilitating the 2021 Rhetoric Society of America Summer Institute seminar, “Rhetoric in Dark Times.” It was a career goal I never really expected to reach, and it was everything I hoped it would be. But the experience also got me thinking anew about the somewhat vexed transition points in academic careers … Continue reading A Too-Long Reflection on Being a “Leader in the Field” →

Academic Assignment by the Numbers

Last year, when I went up for tenure, I had a hard time quantifying my teaching and administrative work -- which at San José State University get collected together under the heading, "Academic Assignment." I thought I kept pretty detailed records, but my tenure portfolio called the lie to that assumption. Not because I couldn't … Continue reading Academic Assignment by the Numbers →