James Seitz
Associate Professor
Bryan Hall 102C
Office Hours: By appointment.
Class Schedule: W 5:00-7:30
Specialties:
Writing Pedagogy, Rhetoric, Autobiography & Memoir
Degrees
Ph.D. New York University
M.A. University of New Mexico
B.A. University of California at Santa Barbara
M.A. University of New Mexico
B.A. University of California at Santa Barbara
Interests
I teach undergraduate courses in writing and literature, and I like to bring my interests in music, film, television, art, and athletics into my classes, where I can think alongside my students about problems and possibilities in what we read, watch, and listen to. My graduate teaching focuses on pedagogy and curriculum development, with an emphasis on how we can make the teaching of English more meaningful for today’s students.
Books
Motives for Metaphor: Literacy, Curriculum Reform, and the Teaching of English, University of Pittsburgh Press, 1999
The Best of the Independent Rhetoric and Composition Journals, 2014. Co-edited with Stephen Parks and Jessica Pauszek. Parlor Press, 2016.
Recent Articles
“From “Low-Stakes” to the Real Deal: Student Writing, the Weekly Assignment, and Topics- Based Curricula.” Inventing the Discipline: Student Work in Composition Studies. Peter Moe and Stacey Waite, eds. Anderson, SC: Parlor Press, 2022.
“Syllabus.” New Literary History Vol 50, No. 3 (Fall 2019): 457 – 460.
"An Intimate Rankness: Updike and the High Art of Description." The John Updike Review Vol 6 (Fall 2018): 37 - 44.
"Inventing the Writing Program: How to Name What We Do When, However Old, It's New." Association of Departments of English Bulletin No. 155 (2018): 42 - 26.
“Questions We Can’t Answer: The Secret to a Good Writing Assignment.” Association of Departments of English Bulletin No. 154 (2015): 51 - 56.
Recent Lectures and Conferences
“Transforming the Teaching of Writing: No More Revision.” College English Association, Atlanta: March 22, 2024.
“Opportunity and Instability: ‘Directing’ a Writing Program through Curricular Change.” Conference on College Composition and Communication, Chicago: February 16, 2023.
“Reviving Student Writing with One-Sentence Assignments.” Innovations in Pedagogy Summit. Charlottesville, VA: May 3, 2023.
“Revising Our Approach to Revision.” Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association Conference. Albuquerque, NM: October 13, 2022.
“A Path to Linguistic Justice: Exploratory Writing in the First-Year Course.” Conference on College Composition and Communication. Online Conference: March 9, 2022.
“Pitt Composition in and Beyond Pittsburgh.” Conference on College Composition and Communication. Pittsburgh PA: March 14, 2019.
“Inventing the Writing Program: How to Name What We Do When, However Old, It’s New.” Modern Language Association Convention. Philadelphia PA: January 8, 2017.
“Opportunity and Instability: ‘Directing’ a Writing Program Through Curricular Change.” Conference on College Composition and Communication. Portland OR: March 17, 2017.
“Growing Up with The Beatles.” Lecture at a public performance of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on the fiftieth anniversary of its release. Crozet, VA: December 2, 2017.
“Alternative Writing Assignments.” Washington and Lee University. Lexington VA: August 26, 2016.
“Unconventional Writing Instruction.” Millsaps College. Jackson, MS: October 27, 2016.
Honors
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Richard A. and Sarah Page Mayo N.E.H. Distinguished Professorship, UVA, 2016 - 2019
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Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award, University of Pittsburgh, 2005
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David and Tina Bellet Teaching Excellence Award for the College of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 2003
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Carnegie Scholar, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 2001-02
