tiffanylewis

Building a Sustainable Writing Practice for the Summer Months (and Beyond)

Friday, May 2, 2025

12:00-1:00pm CT/1:00-2:00pm EST

Join via Zoom: https://bit.ly/4cBOXHj

Prof. Cara A. Finnegan, University of Illinois
Prof. Debra Hawhee, Penn State University

Academics often think of summer as a magical time when the demands of the typical academic year can be set aside so that we can finally turn to our writing and research. Overachievers that we are, we imagine that we will have time and energy to complete All The Things. All too soon, however, the fantasy of “all summer to write” fades into the reality of our actual lives and then we beat ourselves up for not getting it all done. This workshop will offer attendees strategies designed to skip the fantasy and instead develop a concrete, specific, sustainable writing practice that will set you up for your work this summer and beyond. Attendees should come with pen/paper/screen and a calendar and expect to leave with a doable summer plan in hand.

About the ASHR First Friday Forum Series: Inspired by the classical conception of the forum as an intellectual gathering place, ASHR’s “First Friday Forum” series promotes educational programming, professional development, and an inclusive, collaborative virtual community. It is our hope that this virtual space will foster dynamic, cross-disciplinary scholarly engagement for those interested in reexamining and reimagining the various histories of rhetoric across all periods, languages, cultures, and modes of performance. The Spring 2025 “First Friday Forum” series will focus on key questions related to the research and teaching of the history of rhetoric / rhetorical history. These virtual gatherings will take place on February 7, March 7, April 4, and May 2, 2025 from 12:00-1:00pm Central Time via Zoom.

Please direct any questions to ASHR Vice President Dr. Allison Prasch (aprasch@wisc.edu) or ASHR Special Programs Coordinator Dr. Kristen Einertson (carl4818@umn.edu).

Our panelists will speak as editors of the ongoing ASHR Expanding the History of Rhetoric Pedagogy Initiative, which is seeking proposals for pedagogical resources designed to support instructors interested in broadening their approaches to rhetorical history. Accepted authors will receive an honorarium upon successful completion of their materials and publication on ASHR’s website. The full call for proposals can be found here: https://ashr.org/2025/02/expanding-the-history-of-rhetoric-pedagogy-initiative-call-for-proposals-mar-15/

ASHR membership is not required to attend—all are welcome!

About the ASHR First Friday Forum Series: Inspired by the classical conception of the forum as an intellectual gathering place, ASHR’s “First Friday Forum” series promotes educational programming, professional development, and an inclusive, collaborative virtual community. It is our hope that this virtual space will foster dynamic, cross-disciplinary scholarly engagement for those interested in reexamining and reimagining the various histories of rhetoric across all periods, languages, cultures, and modes of performance. The Spring 2025 “First Friday Forum” series will focus on key questions related to the research and teaching of the history of rhetoric / rhetorical history. These virtual gatherings will take place on February 7, March 7, April 4, and May 2, 2025 from 12:00-1:00pm Central Time via Zoom.

Please direct any questions to ASHR Vice President Dr. Allison Prasch (aprasch@wisc.edu) or ASHR Special Programs Coordinator Dr. Kristen Einertson (carl4818@umn.edu).

---

As part of our ongoing mission to extend and expand the study and teaching of the history of rhetoric across all time periods, places, and cultures, ASHR invites proposals for its Expanding the History of Rhetoric Pedagogy Initiative.

The purpose of this initiative is to support instructors in expanding their educational focus beyond the times, geographies, and vocabularies that most often receive scholarly attention in the teaching of the history of rhetoric. We welcome submissions drawn from the various histories of rhetoric across all periods, languages, cultures, and modes of performance. Each submission should provide an entry point for scholars looking to expand their rhetorical histories beyond the Greco-Roman canon.  We encourage proposals from graduate students, non-tenure track faculty, and early career scholars. 

Submit proposals as a PDF to Jamie Downing (Jamie.downing@gcsu.edu) with the email subject line “ASHR pedagogy proposal” by April 15th. Proposals should include:  

• An overview of the entry’s topic and scope (300 – 500 words) 
• A list of the types of courses (graduate and undergraduate) that may find the resource useful  
• A statement of the author’s interest and expertise (200 words maximum) 

Selected authors will be notified of acceptance in early April with initial drafts of completed resources due by July 1st. We anticipate publishing the completed resources on ASHR’s website (www.ASHR.org) in early August. Upon successful completion of their materials and publication on ASHR’s website, authors will receive an honorarium of $200.  

Completed resources should include:  

•  A brief introduction to the topic  
•  A list of courses (graduate and undergraduate) that may find the resource useful  
• 4-5 main ideas or core premises a unit could be based around  
• Key terms and definitions  
• 3-7 primary sources with 2-3 sentence annotations. These might include treatises, speeches, letters, archival documents, videos, podcasts, or digital rhetoric that reflect the principles of the rhetorical tradition under study.  
• 5-10 academic secondary sources with 2-3 sentence annotations. These provide analyses to some of the primary texts, develop rhetorical theory, and/or contextualize against other rhetorical traditions or concepts.  
• 5-10 potential discussion questions. 

The editors Jamie Downing (Jamie.downing@gcsu.edu), Caroline Koons (koonsc@erau.edu), and Curry Kennedy (currykennedy@tamu.edu) welcome questions and inquiries.

Please join us for a panel discussion featuring four award-winning scholars whose work demonstrates the value of doing archival research: Prof. Thomas R. Dunn (Colorado State University), Prof. Kristen Einertson (University of St. Thomas), Prof. Derek Handley (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), and Prof. Angela G. Ray (Northwestern University). 

Panelists will share tips & tricks for identifying online and brick-and-mortar archives related to a research topic/project, strategies for navigating finding aids and working with archivists, and resources for organizing, notating, and deciphering archival finds.

Consider linking up with the Douglass Day 2025 festivities on February 14. This annual event invites scholars from around the country to spend a day transcribing materials from the African American Perspectives Collection at the Library of Congress. Whether you join as an individual or with a group of colleagues + students, this virtual gathering is a terrific way to amplify a vital archive of the US American experience to academics and the larger public.

Visit the Douglass Day 2025 official website here for a formal schedule, transcription details, and publicity resources.