Composition: History & Theory: 2000 - 2009
The Intellectual Work of Mixed Forms of Academic Discourse—Patricia Bizzell
Description
In, “The Intellectual Work of ‘Mixed’ Forms of Academic Discourses,” Patricia Bizzell argues that “mixed” forms of discourse that come from the entrance into the discourse of diverse groups (“more people of color, more women, more people from lower social classes, more people whose native language is not English or not the so-called Standard English”) are gaining acceptance because they “allow their practitioners to do intellectual work in ways they could not if confined to traditional academic discourse” (72–74). The use of these forms by “powerful people in the academic community” who “are still to a large extent, middle- and upper-class white men who would have no stake in allowing discourse forms that were alien to them,” she argues, shows that these forms aren’t being accepted “simply to make new students and scholars feel more comfortable” (74, 77). Bizzell proceeds to give an example of the use of mixed forms by Joel Williamson, “a very senior and eminent scholar” of American History in The Journal of American History (77). Because the journal published the article as written with the reviews done by the referees whose responses were used to make the decision to publish the article, Bizzell is able to show both the growing acceptance and resistance to Williamson’s use of a mixed form that uses personal experience and reflection to critique Williamson’s past work, as well as the entire field (77–82). While the reviewers resist the form most recognize how it enables Williamson to approach the issue of Lynching from a (seemingly) new perspective. Bizzel argues that work with mixed forms like Williamson’s is important in enabling scholars to “see the whole beast” of a subject instead of only the parts that traditional discourse forms allow (83).
Bizzell, Patricia. “Intellectual Work of ‘Mixed’ Forms of Academic Discourse.” Alt/Dis Ed. Christopher Schroeder, Helen Fox, and Patricia Bizzell. Portsmouth: Boynton?Cook, 2002. 1–10. Rpt. In Relations Locations Positions: Composition Theory for Writing Teachers. Ed. Peter Vandenberg, Sue Hum, and Jennifer Clary-Lemon. Urbana: National Council of Teachers of English, 2006. 72–83. Print.
Date of Upload
11/03/09