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Kendall Phillips

Professor; Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies

Communication and Rhetorical Studies
College Administration
Office of Research and Graduate Studies

100 Sims Hall

315-443-2883

Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University

Courses taught

CRS 183 Communication, Rhetoric and Society
CRS 300 Rhetoric of Popular Culture
CRS 300 Rhetoric of Public Sphere
CRS 483/683 Rhetoric of Film
CRS 603 Contemporary Theories of Rhetoric
CRS 862 Seminar in Rhetoric and Public Address

Research interests

Dr. Phillips' research and teaching interests are in contemporary rhetorical theory and criticism. His work engages broad theoretical questions of advocacy, controversy, dissent, and public memory. He explores these concepts through a variety of rhetorical artifacts including comic books, film, political speeches, and scientific controversies. Dr. Phillips is the author of Testing Controversies: A Rhetoric of Educational Reform, Projected Fears: Horror Films and American Culture, and editor of Framing Public Memory.

He is also host of the popular weekly television show Classic Movie Night airing on WCNY each Saturday night at 9pm. The show features some of the finest films from Hollywood's long history and is accompanied by commentary from Dr. Phillips.

Scholarly publications

Books

Phillips, Kendall (2012).  Dark Directions: Romero, Craven, Carpenter, and the Modern Horror Film.  Carbondale, IL:  Southern Illinois University Press.

Phillips, Kendall, & Reyes, Mitchell (2011).  Global Memoryscapes:  Contesting Remembrance in a Transnational Age.  Tuscaloosa, AL: The University of Alabama Press.

Phillips, K. R. (2008). Controversial Cinema: The Films that Outraged America. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Phillips, K. R. Ed. (2005). Projected Fears: Horror Films and American Culture. Westport, CT: Praeger Press.

Phillips, K. R. Ed. (2004). Framing Public Memory. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press.

Phillips, K. R. (2004). Testing Controversy: A Rhetoric of Educational Reform. Cresskill, N. J.: Hampton Press.

Ferris, P. S., Minelli, M. C., Phillips, K. R., & Mallard, J. S. (2003). Beyond Survival in the Academy: A Practical Guide for Beginning Academics. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

Articles in refereed journals

Phillips, K. R. (2006). Rhetorical maneuvers: Subjectivity, power and resistance. Philosophy and Rhetoric, 39, 310-32.

Phillips, K. R. (2003). Red Dragon: A Critical Review. Scope: An On-line Journal of Film Studies.

Phillips, K.R. (2003). Redeeming the visual: Aesthetic questions in Michael Mann's Manhunter. Literature/Film Quarterly,31, 10-16.

Phillips, K. R. (2002). Spaces of invention: Dissension, thought and freedom in Foucault. Philosophy and Rhetoric, 35, 328-344.

Phillips, K. R. (2002). Textual strategies, plastic tactics: Reading Batman and Barbie. Journal of Material Culture, 7, 123-136.

Phillips, K. R. (2002). Hannibal: A review essay. Scope.

Phillips, K. R. (2000). Consuming community in Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 1, 26-32.

Phillips, K. R. (2000). Rhetorical “Rivers of Blood:” Mediated interpretive controversy and The Trial of Enoch Powell. Screening the Past: An International, Electronic, Refereed Journal of Visual Media and History, 9

*Phillips, K. R. (1999). A rhetoric of controversy. Western Journal of Communication, 63, 488-510. *This essay is accompanied by two response essays.

Phillips, K. R. (1999). Tactical apoligia: The American Nursing Association and assisted suicide. Southern Communication Journal, 64, 143-154.

Phillips, K. R. (1999). Rhetoric, resistance and criticism: A response to Sloop and Ono. Philosophy and Rhetoric, 32, 96-102.

Phillips, K. R. (1998). Interpretive controversy and The Silence of the Lambs. Rhetoric Society Quarterly, 28, 33-47.

Phillips, K. R. (1996). The spaces of public dissension: Reconsidering the public sphere. Communication Monographs, 63, 231-248.

Phillips, K. R. & Delgado, A. (1996). Cyberphobia and education. Communication Law and  Policy Newsletter, 7 (1), 3.

Book chapters

Phillips, K. R. (2004). Divided by Enlightenment: Habermas, Foucault and the place of rhetoric. Argument and its Application: Proceedings of the Ontario Society for the Study of Argumentation Conference. St. Catherine's University Press.

Cox, E. S., & Phillips, K. R. (1992). Impact and implications of parliamentary debate format on  American debate. In D. A. Thomas & J. P. Hart (Eds.), Advanced debate: Readings in theory,  practice and teaching (pp. 94-104). Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Co.

Book reviews

Phillips, K. R. (In Press). [Review of Vernacular voices: The Rhetoric of publics and public  spheres by Gerard Hauser]. Argumentation and Advocacy, 38, 56-59.

Phillips, K. R. (1997). [Review of The past as future: Interviews with Jürgen Habermas]. Rhetoric Society Quarterly, 27, 94-96.

Phillips, K. R. (1995). [Review of Controversial science: From content to contention]. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 81, 263-265.

Awards and honors

  • 2009 Judith Greenberg Seinfeld Distinguished Fellow
  • 2007 Bronze Telly Award for “Classic Movie Night,” 28th Annual Telly Awards (national award for local/regional television)
  • 2007-08 University Teacher/Scholar of the Year, Syracuse University Chancellor’s Award
  • 2005 Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty Recognition Award, Syracuse University Graduate School
  • 2002 College Faculty Award, Syracuse University

Expertise

American Film, Public Discourse, Rhetoric, Rhetoric of Popular Culture