William Trapani
Assistant Professor
wtrapan1@fau.edu

Ph.D. 2002, University of Iowa

Bill Trapani's research and teaching are informed by rhetorical theory and criticism and critical/cultural studies. His principal areas of scholarly interest include the rhetoric of visual culture, national identity and citizenship studies, and the theorization of contemporary protest and social activism. His work primarily explores the rhetorical construction and consequence of varying figurations of the American national character. Trapani's current manuscript is an examination of the discourse surrounding inter-Native American identity disputes, which has been used to thwart minority enfranchisement and the lofty goals of multiculturalism. His most recent essay is included in Rhetoric, Materiality, and Politics, an edited volume theorizing the force of rhetoric in contemporary life.