Professor Mattson Selected as 2014-15 ARCU Lecturer

Dr. Craig Mattson, professor of communication arts, has been selected as the Association of Reformed Colleges and Universities (ARCU) Lecturer for 2014-2015.

His proposed lectures stem from his recently published essay in Quarterly Journal of Speech. “From Wimsey to The Wire: Distracting Discourse and Attentional Practice” explores the relationship between speech and attention. 

Mattson explained that anxiety about distractedness exists in society and that certain books treat discourse as if it is “an enemy of attention.” The essay uses two detectives as case studies to explore the ways that an “irresponsible” discourse can trigger an indirect attention that looks like distractedness to assist problem-solving.

Mattson said that Trinity’s communication arts department often works with students on issues related to speech and attention in the digital age and believes his ARCU experience will also benefit his students and colleagues. “I am hoping that some of what I learn from other communities in the course of offering these lectures will circle back and animate and extend on-campus work as well.”

Dr. Liz Rudenga said, “This is indeed an honor, reflective of Craig’s conscientious and thoughtful approach to research and indicative of excellent scholarship by Trinity faculty.”