Reprogrammable Rhetoric: Critical Making Theories and Methods in Rhetoric and Composition focuses on the role critical making plays in modern composition and pedagogy. Compiled of works written by instructors from universities across the country, this text intends to bridge the gap between technology and composition in a hands-on and how-to approach.
Presented in sections which are broken up into shorter chapters, this text presents critical making in five ways: Framing Critical Making, Text Mining as Critical Making, Eversion and Critical Making, Critical Play as Critical Making, and Critical Making as Instructional Design.
For those who are unfamiliar with critical making theories, this text defines critical making in the introduction as follows:
“The term ‘critical making’ is understood differently throughout academic and nonacademic contexts. It generally describes a wide ranges of practices, theories, and methods that emphasize the potential of making, hacking, and remaking to effect some sort of social or political change—that is, to do rhetoric” (p. 3-4).
Michael J. Faris and Steve Holmes are post associate professors in the Technical Communication and Rhetoric Program in the English department at Texas Tech University, making them well versed in critical making theories.
This text incorporates a variety of content and directly discusses critical making’s incorporation of underrepresented groups. For example, Michael Faris discusses queerness and queer theory regarding the maker movement in chapter 10. In chapter 11, Wendi Sierra discusses how Native American representation in media can be increased through critical making.
The qualified editors and knowledgable authors throughout the text ensure its credibility and thoroughly researched information.