WELCOME!
I’m Dr. Ryan Skinnell, a Professor of Rhetoric and Writing at San José State University. I earned my PhD in Rhetoric, Composition, and Linguistics at Arizona State University in 2011, and I’ve taught rhetoric and writing for more than two decades at four universities.
I am an expert in political rhetoric and popular discourse, which means I study how people argue about politics in public. I’ve published six books and more than 100 essays, articles, and reviews about rhetoric, politics, and higher education. My writing has appeared in a variety of national and international outlets, including The Washington Post, Salon, and Newsweek. I also regularly appear in local and national media to discuss political rhetoric in the news.
BOOKS / SPECIAL ISSUES
CURRENT PROJECTS
For more than a century, even Adolf Hitler’s most perceptive critics have either distilled his persuasive powers into a simple list of nasty tricks or chalked it up to magical powers—in many cases relying on Nazi talking points to explain the Führer’s unique persuasive abilities. But Hitler’s persuasive talents were neither simplistic nor magical. They were rhetorical. Deliver Us to Evil examines how Hitler actually used rhetoric to persuade millions of people to support, or at least acquiesce to, Nazism.
Dr. Skinnell’s Extravaganza of Rhetoric Stickles is a catalogue of my graphic design work, mostly related to rhetoric, writing, and pedagogy. Fair warning, many of the designs are irreverent, and some even border on crass (though there is no graphic violence or sexuality). This page is mostly just a creative outlet that often happens to be related to my scholarly interests.
Rhetorical Monsters is a podcast series (in development) that discusses people in history who have used good rhetoric to terrible, damaging, sometimes deadly ends. Planned episodes include 20th century arch-villain, Adolf Hitler; patron saint of yellow journalism, William Randolph Hearst; and propaganda virtuoso, Edward Bernays.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
“Rhetoric, Demagoguery, and Democracy,” Rotary Club of San Jose, San Jose, CA. (Apr. 2022)
Dr. Ryan Skinnell 