Serendipitous Engagement as Rhetoric Research and Classroom Practice: Three Examples

1. Serendipitous Engagement as Rhetoric Research and Classroom Practice: Three Examples University of Iowa, October 19, 2013 Jim Ridolfo - University of Kentucky- @ridolfoj Assistant Professor of Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies All materials and supplemental content are available at http://talk.rid.olfo.org

2. I research how people use texts in order to build theory for my discipline, but also to help build useful resources for communities (Influences: Ellen Cushman; Jeffrey Grabill) I’m also interested in collaborative and complementary field intersections between rhetoric and composition and other disciplines (example: Rhetoric and the Digital Humanities, advance contract with University of Chicago Press) General Research interests Reciprocity and Collaborative Research

3. I’m interested in how texts move, circulate, and travel in everyday life. To this end, I participate in field conversations on rhetorical delivery: Reynolds 1993; Skinner-Linnenberg 1999; Trimbur; 2000; Rude 2004; Welch 2005; Porter 2009; McCorkle 2012 • A concept of composing for strategic recomposition and a heuristic for analyzing recomposition • “What will happen to my writing, video, image, sound clip? Who, how and why might someone else use what I deliver as a building block/stepping stone for other texts and videos?” Primary Research: Delivery and Rhetorical Velocity/Circulation of Texts

4. Engagement as serendipitous research: Samaritan case example • Engagement as teaching in a new place: last name assignment sequence • Engagement as service and (potentially?) research: rhetmap Three Case Examples

5. Samaritan Example: Project origins Benyamim Tsedaka / בנימים צדקה

6. Approximately 760 Samaritans today • Maintain two liturgical languages: Samaritan Hebrew and Aramaic • Believe Mt. Gerizim is holy place, not Jerusalem • Trace roots back as far as 132 high priests (since time of Aaron) All humanbeings are born Painting by: Miriam Tsedaka, Holon 2009 Who are the Samaritans?

7. Disappeared Samaritan Communities 4th Century to 19th Century Tsedaka, Benyamim. "Samaritan Israelite Families and Households that Disappeared." In _Samaritans: Past and Present_ Eds. Menchem Mor and Fredrich V. Reiterer. 2010

8. Samaritan neighborhood in Holon, Israel Population: Approximately 400

9. Samaritan neighborhood in Holon, Israel Population: Approximately 400 Image credit: Google Street View

10. Mt. Gerizim Mount Gerizim, Palestinian Authority Area B (Village), C (Mountain top), A (Side facing Nablus)

11. Today: 4000 Samaritan manuscripts in libraries, archives, museums across the world Rothschild, Jean-Pierre. "Samaritan Manuscripts: a Guide to Collections and Catalogues." The Samaritans. By Alan D. Crown. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1989. 771-95.

12. KiryatLuza on Mt. Gerizim

13. Scenic view from Samaritan ruins on top of Mt. Gerizim Top of Mount Gerizim Image credit: Michael McLeod

14. نابلس‎ Nablus ‫שכם‬‎ Top of Mount Gerizim Image credit: Michael McLeod

15. نابلس‎ Nablus ‫שכם‬‎ Balata Refugee Camp مخيم بلاطة‎ (Jacob’s Well) Top of Mount Gerizim Image credit: Michael McLeod

16. Elon Moreh אלון מורה نابلس‎ Nablus ‫שכם‬‎ Itamar איתמר Balata Refugee Camp مخيم بلاطة‎ (Jacob’s Well) Top of Mount Gerizim Image credit: Michael McLeod

17. Elon Moreh אלון מורה نابلس‎ Nablus ‫שכם‬‎ Huwwara Checkpoint ‫מחסום חווארה‬‎ حاجز حوارة‎ Itamar איתמר IDF צה"לֹ Balata Refugee Camp مخيم بلاطة‎ (Jacob’s Well) Top of Mount Gerizim Image credit: Michael McLeod

18. Start-up Project Goals (2008-2009) Provide access to digital versions of the codices/scrolls at Michigan State University and other libraries/archives To create a working model of a culturally-sensitive repository of Samaritan texts Support a variety of learning activities including online teaching, learning, and research Follow a model of system development consistent with best practices of user-centered design

19. Identifying additional project stakeholders

20. Late High Priest Elazar Ben Tsedaka (2009) : Digitize Samaritan manuscripts abroad

21. How did these manuscripts leave Samaritan hands? Under what circumstances? Why do Samaritan elders want these manuscripts digitized? What about repatriation? Post-NEH Questions Leading to Fulbright

22. From DH project to Digital Samaritans ODH: Prototype + Portions of three codices 2008-09 NEH Collaborative 2009 NEH Preservation and Access 2010 NEH Implementation 2011 2012 Middle East and North Africa Regional Research Fulbright for Digital Samaritans 2010 – Digitized 1145 CE scroll from HUC Cincinnati 2012 – Digitized 15th century Pentateuch at HUC NEH Humanities Collections 2013 (pending) Internal conservation funding for books at MSU and HUC, 2013 2013 – Samaritan Keyboard for Windows and OS X

23. Digitization of Manuscripts

24. Keyboard for Windows and OS X

25. Engagement as Research • In my case, this project starts out by addressing what seemed to be a straight forward stakeholder request • Research emerges to continue addressing stakeholder requests. • This is a slow, non-linear, serendipitous, reciprocal process Case Example Takeaway

26. Case example #2a and #2b: Engaged teaching in a new place

27. The Available Means of Persuasion

28. 2a. Last name assignment sequence – http://wrd112.rid.olfo.org

29. Problem: I’m new to a place and don’t yet know local community partners, the geography, or histories. I also want students to produce work that’s potentially meaningful to them as well as to other stakeholders. Experiment 1st semester at UC/1st semester at UK (this semester): Last name assignment sequence – one last name, four major projects. 2a: Last name assignment sequence – http://wrd112.rid.olfo.org

30. Oral history assignment – what do family members know about the last name? How do they know this? • Etymology paper – What are some possible meanings for the name? • Genealogical research – How is the last name reflected in family history? • Self-proposed research project continuing a question from the first three papers. Self proposed deliverable to a specific stakeholder audience. 2a. Last name assignment sequence – http://wrd112.rid.olfo.org

31. Benefit to me as teacher: I learn more about my new area and place of employment Benefit to students (I hope): Research across a range of sources (library stacks, databases, oral history, archives and other primary texts); Increased proficiency writing in academic genres; A hopefully meaningful research and writing experience Benefit to student-identified stakeholders (I hope): A useful deliverable/final product 2a. Last name assignment sequence – http://wrd112.rid.olfo.org

32. Zombie Apocalypse Professional Writing Course In this course we will explore core issues in rhetoric and professional writing through the lens of a course simulation based on an imaginary zombie apocalypse. After applying for a position at a fake company (http://civildefensesolutions.com), students will work individually and in groups to produce digital writing projects to help save Lexington from the brink of apocalypse. In the process, students will learn key concepts in rhetorical theory, professional writing, and digital composing and will be prepared to take more advanced courses in Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies. 2b. Zombie Sim – http://civildefensesolutions.com

33. Zombie Apocalypse Professional Writing Course 2b. Zombie Sim – http://civildefensesolutions.com

34. Zombie Apocalypse Professional Writing Course 2b. Zombie Sim – http://civildefensesolutions.com

35. Engagement as Teaching • To provide students with a more meaningful research experience via engagement with potential stakeholders – (Trimbur’s 2000 “Composition and the Circulation of Writing). • To produce texts with cultural currency for students and stakeholders beyond the writing classroom Case Example Takeaway

36. Case example #3: Engagement as service and (potentially?) research

37. Engagement as service • Faculty, students, job seekers (and their significant others) find the resource useful. Maybe one day there will be a research project as the resource continues to build? • Serendipity? Case Example Takeaway

38. Engagement is time in stakeholder relationships and shared projects. • Plans may work out, plans may diverge. • If you can invest your patience and time, serendipity just might happen. One thing may lead to another and… Who knows? Conclusion

39. If you choose to do engaged work, here’s what I ask myself: • Who are potential stakeholders? • What do we share in common? • What work might be mutually beneficial and enjoyable for us? • What are some possible outcomes? • What can’t I promise. What can I promise. Conclusion 2/2