FACULTY PROFILES

Christopher Swift , Assistant Professor (Ph.D. Northwestern University)

Email: c-swift@tamu.edu
Office Phone: (979) 845-1356

Office: Bolton 204
Department of Communication
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX  77843-4234

Professor Swift studies the history of rhetoric in its ethical relationship to philosophy. His work currently focuses on nineteenth and twentieth century writers in German and French.

He regularly teaches the following courses: COMM 301 - Rhetoric in Western Thought, COMM 640 - Rhetorical Theory.

Curriculum Vitae
Christopher Swift
(Word Version)

Department of Communication
Texas A&M University
4234 TAMU
College Station, TX 77803
(+1) 979-450-9598 (cell)
c-swift@tamu.edu

Academic Appointments                                                                                                              

Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University at College Station: 2006-present.
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Northwestern University: 2000–02, 2004-06.
Research Fellow, Seminar für allgemeine Rhetorik der Universität Tübingen: 2003-04
Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Minnesota: 1997-99.

Degrees                                                                                                                                            _

Ph.D.               Northwestern University: December 2006
M.A.                University of Minnesota: August 1999
B.A.                 Purdue University: May 1997

Education                                                                                                                                           

He earned his Ph.D. at Northwestern University (2006), his M.A. at the University of Minnesota (1999), and his B.A. at Purdue University (1997). He has also studied at various academic institutions in Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

Principal Awards and Honors                                                                                                     

Melbern G. Glasscock Humanities Center Internal Faculty Fellowship, 2007-2008.
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) Year Long Grant, 2003-2004.
National Communication Association (NCA) Doctoral Honors Seminar selection, 2003.
French Interdisciplinary Group Paris Program in Critical Theory Fellowship, 2002-2003.
Northwestern University Summer Research Fellowships 2000-2003.
Northwestern University Fellowship, 1999-2000.
DAAD Summer Language Course Scholarship, 1998.
Purdue University School of Liberal Arts Honors Scholarship, 1996.

Manuscripts under Review and in Preparation                                                                     

“Friedrich Nietzsche and the Metaphysics of Rhetoric.” Essay manuscript under review at The Quarterly Journal of Speech.

Philosophy and Rhetoric in the Style of Friedrich Nietzsche. Book manuscript under preparation.

“Aesthetics and Rhetoric in Herbert Marcuse’s Address on the New Left.” Essay manuscript under preparation.

Conference Participation                                                                                                              

He has presented papers at conferences hosted by the National Communication Association and the International Society for the History of Rhetoric on such topics as the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche, Plato, Herbert Marcuse, Walter Benjamin, Søren Kierkegaard, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

“The Limits of ‘Tropology’ in de Man’s Reading of Nietzsche.” Paper on panel competitively selected by the American Society for the History of Rhetoric: National Communication Association Convention, Chicago, 2007.

“The Interminable Return of …” Paper on panel competitively selected by the Ethnography division: National Communication Association Convention, Chicago, 2007. Earlier versions on panel competitively selected by the Performance Studies division: National Communication Association Convention, San Antonio, 2006; on panel competitively selected by the Rhetorical and Communication Theory division: National Communication Association Convention, Boston, 2005; on panel competitively selected by the Performance Studies division: National Communication Association Convention, Chicago, 2004; and on panel competitively selected by the Performance Studies division and co-sponsored by the Critical and Cultural Studies division: National Communication Association Convention, Miami, 2003.

“Friedrich Nietzsche and the Metaphysics of Rhetoric.” Paper competitively selected: International Society for the History of Rhetoric conference, Strasbourg, 2007.

“Friedrich Nietzsche and the Rhetoric of the Future.” Paper competitively selected by the American Society for the History of Rhetoric: National Communication Association Convention, San Antonio, 2006.

“The Health of Theory in the Discipline.” Participant in roundtable discussion competitively selected by the Rhetorical and Communication Theory division: National Communication Association Convention, Boston, 2005.

“Herbert Marcuse’s New Left Address.” Paper on panel competitively selected by the Public Address division: National Communication Association Convention, Chicago, 2004 (panel organizer).

“The Ethics of Ethics in Zarathustra.” Paper on panel competitively selected by the Communication Ethics Commission: National Communication Association Convention, Miami, 2003 (panel organizer).

“Søren Kierkegaard’s Choice.” Paper competitively selected by the Rhetorical and Communication Theory division: National Communication Association Convention, Miami, 2003.

“Listening to Zarathustra.” Paper competitively selected by the Rhetoric and Performance seminar: National Communication Association Doctoral Honors Conference, Bowling Green, 2003.

“Zarathustra as Rhetor.” Paper competitively selected: International Society for the History of Rhetoric conference, Madrid, 2003.

“Lincoln and the Other Douglass.” Paper competitively selected by the Public Address division: National Communication Association Convention, New Orleans, 2002. Earlier version on panel invited by the University of Iowa and Northwestern University joint conference, Amana Colonies, 2000.

“The Art of History in Benjamin’s Passagenwerk.” Paper competitively selected by the Rhetorical and Communication Theory division: National Communication Association Convention, Atlanta, 2001 (panel organizer).

“The Spellwriter: Walter Benjamin as Producer.” Paper on panel competitively selected by the Rhetorical and Communication Theory division: National Communication Association Convention, Chicago, 1999 (panel organizer).

Invited Lectures                                                                                                                              

“The Rhetoric of the Future!” Rhetoric/Discourse Studies Research Discussion: Department of English, Texas A&M University, 27 February 2008. Earlier version presented to the Department of Speech Communication, University of Illinois, December 2004.

International Education                                                                                                                

Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen: student and research fellow in the Seminar für allgemeine Rhetorik, academic year 2003-04.

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin: Intensive course in German language (100 hours), summer 2003.
Paris Program in Critical Theory: research program affiliated with the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, under the direction of Samuel Weber, academic year 2002-03.

Cercle d’Echanges Interculturels et Linguistiques Avignon du Jardin des Cultures d’Europe: intensive course in French language and culture (200 hours), summer 2002.

International School for Humanities and Social Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam: exchange student with the Program in Discourse and Argumentation Studies, spring 2002.

InterDaF e. V. am Herder-Institut der Universität Leipzig: intensive course in German language and culture for DAAD scholarship recipients (200 hours), summer 1998.        

Teaching Experience                                                                                                                     

Rhetorical Theory (TAMU: COMM 640)
Graduate seminar surveying major theoretical contributions to the European tradition of rhetorical inquiry from ancient Greece to the present.

Rhetoric and Western Thought (TAMU: COMM 301)
Taught twice. Large lecture format course surveying major contributions to the rhetorical tradition of thinking, including: (1) its development as an area of inquiry in ancient Greece, (2) its several appropriations in Rome and medieval Europe, as well as (3) various confrontations with the tradition that have arisen since the “Renaissance.”

Communication and Contemporary Issues: Ideas of Communication (TAMU: COMM 460)
Taught twice. Senior-level seminar. Writing intensive. The course analyses the development of ideas of communication in the “classical” and “romantic” periods of European thought in order to help clarify contemporary thinking about these ideas and ultimately to help address the communication problems that we face today.

Public Speaking (Northwestern: GEN CMN 102; Minnesota: SPCH 1101)
Taught nine times. Responsible for all aspects of the course.

Analysis of Argument (Minnesota: SPCH 1313)
Taught seven times. Writing-intensive. Responsible for all aspects of the course.

The Art of Controversy (Northwestern: COMM ST 210)
Assisted Professor Robert Hariman with grading, course design, and delivered one lecture to the class on reading Plato.

Arts of Advocacy: An Introduction to Rhetorical Theory (Northwestern: COMM ST 210)
Assisted Professor Jean Goodwin with most aspects of course design and grading, lead weekly sections for half of the students, debated with Dr. Goodwin for all four sections, and gave two lectures to the entire class for the unit on ethos.

Theories of Argumentation (Northwestern: COMM ST 220)
Assisted Professor David Zarefsky with grading and led two weekly discussion sections for approximately fifty students.

Rhetorical History of the United States I (Northwestern: COMM ST 325-1)
The course covers colonization through the events leading to civil war. Assisted Professor David Zarefsky with grading and lead a weekly discussion section for twelve students.

Rhetoric of the American Presidency: Richard Nixon (Northwestern: COMM ST 322)
Assisted Professor Lee Huebner with grading, ran two sections for group presentations, designed and maintained the course web site.

Service                                                                                                                                              

Department of Communication committee on enhancing research, Texas A&M 2008.
Department of Communication representative to Evans Library, Texas A&M 2008.
Guest reviewer for Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, 2008.
Reviewer of paper and panel submissions for the Rhetorical and Communication Theory division, National Communication Association Convention, Boston 2005.
Chair of planning committee and negotiator with the administration, Graduate Student Association, Northwestern 2001.
Dept. of Communication Studies graduate student representative, Northwestern 2000-2001.
Dept. of Speech-Communication representative to the Council of Graduate Students, Minnesota 1998-1999.
Social Sciences Policy and Review Council, Minnesota 1998-1999.
Graduate School Academic Grievance Committee, Minnesota 1998-1999.

References available upon request.

This c. v. is current and correct as of March 6, 2008.

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