Distinguished professor and writer Wayne Fields will present the Interdisciplinary Project in the Humanities/Phi Beta Kappa/Sigma Xi Lecture for the Assembly Series at 11 a.m. April 12 in Graham Chapel. The talk, on “Love and Seduction: Our Anxiety About Rhetoric,” is free and open to the public.
Fields, Ph.D., is the Lynne Cooper Harvey Distinguished Professor of English and director of the American Culture Studies Program, both in Arts & Sciences. His areas of scholarly focus include American literature, nonfiction prose, rhetoric and American political argument.
During times of national political debate, he is frequently called on by the national media to provide expert commentary regarding the use of rhetoric as a political or social tool. His book Union of Words: A History of Presidential Eloquence (1996) examines the use of rhetoric in presidential speeches, from declarations of candidacy to nomination acceptances, inaugural addresses, State of the Union speeches, declarations of war, executive farewells and other special addresses.
Fields’ other books include James Fenimore Cooper: A Collection of Critical Essays (1979); What the River Knows: An Angler in Midstream (1990), a highly acclaimed memoir; and The Past Leads a Life of Its Own (1992), a collection of stories that capture a simpler life of growing up in the American heartland.
Fields joined WUSTL’s Department of English in 1968. Throughout his career, he has served the University in a number of academic and administrative ways, most notably as chair of the English department. He has also served as the dean of University College in Arts & Sciences and as director of its Master of Liberal Arts Program.
In 1996, he helped establish the American Culture Studies Program and became its first director.
A popular teacher, Fields has received numerous teaching accolades, including the Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Interfraternity Council’s Excellence in Teaching Award. In addition, he has been awarded fellowships from the Woodrow Wilson Institute, the Ford Foundation and the National Humanities Institute.
He has served as a commentator for National Public Radio, Radio Free Europe and various television and radio network programs. For five years, he wrote a column called “Close to Home” for St. Louis Magazine.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy from Augustana College and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Chicago.
For more information, call 935-4620 or go online to assemblyseries.wustl.edu.