Scott J. Varda

Broadly speaking, I am a scholar trained to interrogate how rhetoric shapes public culture. My research primarily focuses on how texts (speeches, books, newspapers, movies, websites, social media) shape cultural understandings of race, gender, class, and (dis)ability. I also write, lecture, and offer expert input on various aspects of extremism and argumentation. My current solo-authored book project investigates the rhetorical practices of the Noble Drew Ali and Moorish Science Temple of America. My current co-authored book project considers the rhetorical construction of precarity and rape culture. My work has appeared in numerous communication outlets, including Argumentation & Advocacy, Critical Studies in Media Communication, Rhetoric & Public Affairs, Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, and Contemporary Argumentation & Debate.