简介

Through his research interest in Research in intercultural rhetoric and intercultural education James Zappen develops models and theories applicable to a wide range of communication situations, with a particular focus on intercultural pedagogies, including, for example, comparative studies of Russian and Chinese literatures and innovative approaches to Chinese language learning, such as dramatizations of ancient Chinese fables. “I am currently working on several projects in intercultural communication and intercultural education, including a book on intercultural rhetorical theory and practice, comparative studies of U.S. and Russian communication practices and contemporary Russian and Chinese literatures, and the development of instructional methods for Chinese language learning,” Zappen said. His most recent book is titled “The Rebirth of Dialogue: Bakhtin, Socrates, and the Rhetorical Tradition.” In addition, his work has appeared in numerous books, including chapters on "Designing E-Government: Exploring the Potential of New Information and Technology Paradigms for Democratic Purposes,” in E-Government: Information, Technology, and Transformation; "Intention and Motive in Information-System Design: Toward a Theory and Method for Assessing Users' Needs” in Digital Cities 3: Information Technologies for Social Capital; and "On the Formation of Democratic Citizens: Rethinking the Rhetorical Tradition in a Digital Age,” in The Viability of the Rhetorical Tradition. Additional recent published research includes "Totalitarian Visual 'Monologue': Reading Soviet Posters with Bakhtin" in Rhetoric Society Quarterly, "Kenneth Burke on Dialectical-Rhetorical Transcendence" in Philosophy and Rhetoric, and "Some Notes on 'Ad bellum purificandum’” in KB Journal. He also recently presented “Designing a Mandarin Corner as a Nexus for Task-Based Mandarin Language Learning,” at the New England Chinese Language Learning and Teaching Conference; and “From Task-Based to Story-Based Language Learning: Teaching Beginning Mandarin through Dramatizations of Chinese Fables,” at the 2012 Chinese Language Education Forum (CLEF).