Name: Devon Ralston
Title: Associate Professor; Director, Winthrop Writing Center
Education: PhD, English Studies, Illinois State University
MA, English, University of South Alabama
Office: 226 Bancroft Hall
Phone: 803/323-3064
E-mail: ralstond@winthrop.edu
Web:
Area(s):
Devon Fitzgerald Ralston grew up along the Gulf Coast of Alabama and received her undergraduate and Master's degrees from The University of South Alabama. She received her Ph.D. in Rhetoric & Composition with a focus on New Media Studies and Professional Writing in 2008 from Illinois State University. At Winthrop, she teaches courses in composition, rhetorical theory, professional writing, and digital rhetorics where she encourages students to think about their own reading and writing practices and the influence of technology on the circulation of texts. Her research interests are diverse, and much is devoted to the intersections of identity, online communities, and digital activism. Dr. Ralston regularly presents her research and conducts workshops at national conferences. Her co-authored article, published in Technoculture explores the role of community guidelines in curbing oppressive comments. Her work on the complexities of intellectual property, "Snaps without Props: Snapchat's Blatant (Mis)Appropriation of Makeup Artistry" was published in the 2017 NCTE Intellectual Property Annual. Her current research interrogates the impact of digital apps, websites, and the circulation of gifs on the visibility and invisibility of queer sexuality.