Aja Martinez - Department of English

Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English
Name: Aja Y. Martinez
Email: [email protected]
Web Address: http://www.binghamton.edu/english/faculty/martinez-a.html
Year Graduated from the RCTE program: 2012
Recent publications
Martinez, Aja Y. “A Plea for Critical Race Theory Counterstory: Dialogues Concerning Alejandra’s ‘Fit’in the
Academy.” Composition Studies. 42.2 (2014) Accepted for publication. 30pp.
Martinez, Aja Y. “Critical Race Theory Counterstory as Allegory: A Rhetorical Trope to Raise Awareness About
Arizona’s Ban on Ethnic Studies.” Across the Disciplines. Fall (2013). 26pp.
Innovative work
Binghamton Enrichment Summer Bridge: Writing Program Administrator
In this position, I serve as Writing Administrator for Writing 101, the Binghamton University Writing Initiative
and Educational Opportunity Program’s summer bridge program first-year writing course. This position has
required that I develop curriculum and that I hire and train teaching staff for this newly credit-bearing course.
My curriculum is designed to offer students the opportunity to become acquainted with genres of college-level
writing, and to fine-tune skills such as critical thinking, engagement with the text, rhetorical analysis, citation
and documentation, and writing as a process.
Recent courses taught
The Stories We Tell: Rhetorics of Race, Citizenship, and Nation: This course explores the racialized rhetorics of
citizenship and nation-building. As a class we survey the rhetorical patterns used to characterize and discuss
the “immigrant” from early waves of immigration in the US, to contemporary times. Particular attention is
geared toward Arizona as a case study for both issues of immigration and nation-building, with a focus on
rhetorics involved in legislation, language policy, education, and media coverage.
Rhetorical Theory: Contemporary Rhetorics of Race and Racism: This course reviews the development of
Critical Race Theory (CRT) from its origins in the field of law and through its foundations in civil rights
scholarship and feminist thought. As a class we explore CRT's contemporary applications for analyzing
colorblind racist rhetorics and practices in the academy, the field of rhetoric and composition, and its
application toward identity, national politics, and institutional policy.
Rhetorical Foundations: This course explores the nature and function of rhetoric, its theoretical bases, and its
historical development from classical times into the 21st century. Key themes of women’s rhetorics, African
American rhetorics, Indigenous rhetorics and Latin@/Mestiz@ rhetorics are the focus of our course units. A
central concern of the course explores the concept of “truth” as it relates to social constructs of race, class,
gender, sexuality, and access to civic participation in a democratic society.
Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English
Institutional, professional, or community organization: Administrative / Elected positions
Writing Administrator, Binghamton Enrichment Program
Faculty Curricular Advisor, Binghamton Career Development Internship Program
Faculty Advisor, Binghamton McNair Program
Faculty Senator, Binghamton Faculty Senate
Media Committee, Binghamton English Department
Social Media Chair, NCTE/CCCC Latin@ Caucus
Grants / Awards
Binghamton University Semester in London On-Site Faculty Director, 2014-2015
Binghamton University Black Student Union Black History Month Kick-Off Celebration Keynote Speaker, 2014
University of Kentucky Smitherman/Villanueva Writing Collective, 2013-Present.
Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship, Honorable Mention, 2011.
Conferences / Professional meetings
Conference on College Composition and Communication; Rhetoric Society of America; Feminisms and
Rhetorics
Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English
Photos
Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English
Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English

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