Since ICE surged into the Minneapolis-St. Paul metroplex in December 2025, I’ve noticed an increasing number of stories and social media posts about former Trump supporters who have come to regret their support. Recently, for example, in the wake of Donald Trump’s social media post depicting the Obamas as apes, a self-identified MAGA Republican called … Continue reading Don’t Bank on MAGA Republicans “Waking Up” En Masse
Author: Ryan Skinnell
“The Democrats Caved,” and Related Toxic Nonsense
This is going to be long, so feel free to tap out now, but the tl;dr version is the “Dems caved” narrative is toxic nonsense. Okay, maybe not total nonsense, but toxic and also not accurate. And it plays right into the hands of Trump and the Republicans. Since I may re-read this sometime in … Continue reading “The Democrats Caved,” and Related Toxic Nonsense
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
Are You Really Going to Make Me Defend Hitler? Style, Grammar, and Usage Edition
By equating good language with good people and bad language with bad people, we trick ourselves into believing that we (that is, people who use language well) could never fall for someone like Hitler.
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”
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