About Dr. Steudeman

Dr. Steudeman's research examines the history of education policy debate and campaign rhetoric in the United States. Specifically, he studies how Americans define and defend education as an individual-centric alternative to other forms of social assistance. His current project examines how members of Congress advocated for education reforms in the aftermath of the Civil War. Previously, he spent two years with Teach For America in New Orleans, Louisiana and conducted research for The Century Foundation, a think tank in Washington, DC. He is passionate about politics, argument, and improving the health of our democracy.

Education

PhD, University of Maryland, 2016
MA, Northern Illinois University, 2010
BS, Bradley University, 2008

Experience

Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, University of Memphis, 2016-2017.

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Communication, University of Maryland, 2012-2016.

Oral Communication Curriculum Coordinator, University of Maryland, 2012-2014.

Corps Member, Teach For America – Greater New Orleans, 2010-2012.

Graduate Teaching Assistant and Speech/Debate Coach, Northern Illinois University, 2008-2010.

Honors and Awards

Benson-Campbell Dissertation Award, National Communication Association, Public Address Division, 2015.

Graduate Dean's Dissertation Fellowship, Graduate School, University of Maryland, 2015.

Participant, National Communication Association Doctoral Honors Seminar, University of Missouri, July 2015.

Outstanding Graduate Research Paper Award, Department of Communication, University of Maryland, 2013, 2014, and 2016.

Recipient, Centennial Scholarship, Eastern Communication Association, 2014.

Research and Scholarly Activities

Research Interests

Education policy, Reconstruction Era, public address, presidential campaign rhetoric

Selected Publications

Steudeman, Michael J. and Trevor Parry-Giles. "Redeeming the Maverick McCain: Game Change as Hyperreal Campaign History." Communication Quarterly 64 (2016): in press. DOI: 10.1080/01463373.2016.1176938

Steudeman, Michael J. "Indeterminacy, Incipiency, and Attitudes: Materialist Oscillation in the 2012 Chicago Teachers' Strike." Quarterly Journal of Speech 101 (2015): 509-533. DOI: 10.1080/00335630.2015.1055786

Steudeman, Michael J. "'The Guardian Genius of Democracy': The Myth of the Heroic Teacher in Lyndon B. Johnson's Education Policy Rhetoric, 1964-1966." Rhetoric & Public Affairs 17 (2014): 477-510. DOI: 10.14321/rhetpublaffa.17.3.0477

Steudeman, Michael J. "Entelechy and Irony in Political Time: The Preemptive Rhetoric of Nixon and Obama." Rhetoric & Public Affairs 16 (2013): 59-96. DOI: 10.1353/rap.2013.0008