Cultural Rhetorics Conference

In recent conference happenings, Dr. Andrea Riley-Mukavetz co-chaired the second biennial Cultural Rhetorics conference at Michigan State University. The conference, which opened with a Cultural Rhetorics Exhibition and Reception, was held Friday, September 30 through Sunday, October 2, with all of the panel sessions taking place Saturday and Sunday. Dr. Riley-Mukavetz and Rhetoric & Writing doctoral students Danielle Donelson, Jeffrey Moore, Stephen Raulli, and Lauren Salisbury presented at the conference.

Conference highlights included Dr. Riley-Mukavetz’s panel, “Three Queer/Feminist/Indigenist Rants and a Critique of Heteropatriarchal Colonialism in Object-Oriented Theory,” with Drs. Jacqueline Rhodes, Malea Powell, and Melanie Yergeau. The discussion here focused on the continuing disciplinary need for further inclusiveness and mention of minority peoples, including but not limited to indigenous peoples, queer peoples, women, and people who are mentally ill. The lively standing-room-only presentation was met with signs of agreement and applause from attendees throughout the panel.

The conference included panels on a variety of topics, such as critical theories including feminist, queer, indigenous, and others, embodied methodologies and rhetorics, and first-year writing pedagogies. Unique to this conference was a workshop room where attendees gathered to make materials together, including Cherokee double-wall baskets and beadwork. The workshop room helped contribute to the weekend’s overall tone of celebration and inclusiveness.