Biography
Garth Pauley is an expert in the rhetoric of equal rights and racial justice movements in the United States. He also has extensive experience preaching and interpreting biblical texts. His research agenda looks eclectic, as he has presented findings on the rhetoric of Martin Luther King Jr. and on the rhetoric of Martin Luther. It is centered, however, on explaining how communication functions to influence people and ideas at significant moments in history.
Education
- BA - Trinity University, communication and economics, 1993
- MA - Texas A&M University, communication, 1995
- PhD - The Pennsylvania State University, communication, 1999
Professional Experience
2011–present: Professor, Department of Communication, app (joint appointment at app Theological Seminary during the 2017-18 academic year)
2005–2011: Associate Professor, Department of Communication, app College
1998–2005: Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, app College
Academic Interests
[Current as of 2025-26 Academic Year]
- the rhetoric of the civil rights, woman suffrage, and American Indian movements
- Cold War films and television programs about atomic weapons and atomic energy
- post-WWII era propaganda promoting “Golden Age” capitalism
- the social and cultural functions of communication media as technologies
Courses Taught
Oral Rhetoric, Communication & Culture, Visual Rhetoric, Advanced Oral Rhetoric, American Oratory, Argumentation & Advocacy, Rhetorical & Communication Theory, Rhetorical Criticism, Persuasion & Propaganda, Communication Technology & Society, Internship in Communication, Interviewing, Communication & Social Change, American Politics & Mass Media, Business Advisory Communication, Crime & Detective Fiction, Jazz History & Styles.
Research
[Selected, Recent Research]
Refereed Articles:
- “We Are All Bound Up Together’: Frances Harper’s Address at the 1866 National Woman’s Rights Convention.” Voices of Democracy 20 (2025): 31-32.
- “Pan-African Feminism: Anna Arnold Hedgeman’s Advocacy in ‘Women in Public Life,’” , August 2022
- “,” Voices of Democracy 16 (2021): 16-31.
Book Reviews:
- Rev. of Distance in Preaching: Room to Speak, Space to Listen, by Michael Brothers. Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology (2017): 355-56.
Conference Papers:
- “We Are All Bound Up Together”: Frances Harper’s Rhetorical Vision for Elevating Women, African Americans, and American Society, National Communication Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO, November 2025.
- "Save Our R—skins Heritage”: Helping Students Understand and Communicate about the Native American Mascot Controversy,” Central States Communication Association Annual Conference, Cincinnati, OH, March 2025.
- Using Rhetorical Theory to Enrich Preaching, National Communication Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL (virtual), November 2020.
- A Liturgical-Historical Approach to Preaching Psalm 130, Academy of Homiletics Annual Conference, Princeton, NJ, December 2019.
Professional Services
- Letter to the Editor re: news analysis of political speeches, New York Times, October 1, 2025
- Reviewer, National Endowment for the Humanities Research Program, History & Communication Awards, July 2020
- Council President, Woodlawn Christian Reformed Church, 2017-2018
- Panelist, “Fake News” Symposium, Just Citizenship Series, app College, March 2017
- Preaching and Worship Leader, Aetna Christian Reformed Church, Falmouth, MI, June-August 2016
Awards
- Top Paper/Panel Award, Sports Communication Division, Central States Communication Association
- From Every Nation Award for Teaching Excellence, app, 2021
- Karl R. Wallace Memorial Award, National Communication Association, 2003
- Research Fellowship, National Endowment for the Humanities, 2001
