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Scholarship

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Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.

E.L. Doctorow

Dr. Knopf studies rhetoric of the popular arts. Her scholarship is broadly concerned with banal politics and militarism, focusing on the intersections of art, identity, communication, and representation. Frequently interested in verbal-visual rhetoric, it is particularly concerned with matters of inclusion and democracy. Specifically, her scholarship considers:

  • Politics in a converged media environment – campaign politics, gender politics, and media politics in visual rhetoric, especially comics and film.

  • Discourses related to war and the military– with particular attention to warriors’ narratives, expressions of banal militarism and anti-militarism, and military social media strategy.  

  • Representations of gender and race, especially in political and/or military contexts broadly defined, which may encompass spectral or "freak" positionality.

  • Socio-political discourses of health, trauma, and death.

What Critics & Colleagues Say

"All of her works and their interrogations of rhetoric and representations display facility with current debates in multiple fields."
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Research Skills

  • Rhetorical criticism

  • Visual analysis

  • Narrative sociology

  • Qualitative crystallization

  • Content analysis

  • Trained on SPSS (1998-2001), SAS (2002), & R/R-Studio (2014)

  • Practiced focus group facilitator (Fall 2000) & interviewer (Fall 1999-Spring 2000, Winter 2004)

  • Experienced survey writer (Fall 2008, Fall 2016)

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Publications

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Invited Talks & Discussions

  • (2023, Jul). Admissions Departments Emitting Geek Vibes: College Courses Focused on Pop Culture. Comic Con International. San Diego, CA.

  • (2023, Jul). Comics on Campus: Academia vs. Fandom (Battle or a Collab?). Comic Con International. San Diego, CA.

  • (2023, Jan). “Comics, covidity, and visualizing the invisible.” Schering Plough Executive Lectures Series, Fairleigh Dickinson University.

  • (2022, Nov). Military Humor Panel Discussion. A Microsoft Virtual Event, by Military at Microsoft.

  • (2022, Nov). Veteran-created war comics and the workaday war. Comics, Security, and the American Mission.The Ohio State University. Columbus, OH.

  • (2022, Oct). “Junctures and ruptures: COVID, comics, and visualizing the invisible.” Wilson Lunch Lecture, New York State Communication Association. Callicoon, NY.

  • (2022, Jul). Comics on Campus: Fandom + Academia Panel Discussion. Comic Con International. San Diego, CA.

  • (2021, Nov). Superheroes Smackdown. Comics/Screen Studies Round Table. Radford University.

  • (2017, Mar). The Military in Cartoon: Veteran Comic Creators Panel Discussion. Border Town Comic-Con. Ontario, OR.

  • (2016, Oct). “The comic art of war: Comedy, comics, and miltoons.” SOAR North Country. Potsdam, NY.

  • (2016, Aug). “Animating the war effort: Cartoons of World War II.” Spirit of Revolution on the Home Front, National Parks of Boston. National Parks Service Centennial Celebration. USS Constitution Museum. Boston, MA.

  • (2016, Nov). Frustrated and Misunderstood: Faculty Discuss Their Feelings about Campus Handling of Issues of Race & Racism, fishbowl conversation. Day of Reflection: Education for Racial Equity and Justice. SUNY Potsdam.

  • (2013, Oct). Women and Success: A Panel Discussion. Women and Leadership. SUNY Potsdam.

  • (2008, Oct). Know Your Vote. Student Liaison Committee and the Student Government Association. SUNY Potsdam.

  • (2008, Feb). "Campaign ‘08." Open Discussion. Student Life, Draime Hall, SUNY Potsdam.

  • (2007, Feb). “The rhetorical myth-step in the 2005 inaugural address.” Pratt Colloquium Series. SUNY Potsdam.

Conference Participation

NCA

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

ECA

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2017

2016

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2004

2003

2002

NYSCA

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2008

2007

2003

2002

RSA

(2023)

2020

2014

(2011)

2010

(2009)

2008

(2007)

CSS

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

MEA

2023

PCA

2018

ASA

2016

2015

2012

2011

ESS

2016

2014

ISA

2012

APSA

2011

program listings

presentation recordings & slidedecks