Molly Hartzog (she/her/hers)
Assistant Professor of English
Frostburg State University
Description of Work:
My research explores rhetorical invention in the mosquito-borne disease research community. In past work, I used the generative notion of topos to explore how genome databases provide a productive space for interdisciplinary discourse surrounding vectored diseases. A topological analysis of one specialized database revealed the topoi that are prioritized in the database, essentially directing future research and binding the community in ways that may or may not be productive (Hartzog, 2017). Similarly, in Meloncon and Scott’s collection, I argue that mosquito species function as important boundary objects that facilitate rhetorical invention in malaria control research (Hartzog, 2018). Building on this work, I seek to understand how vector-borne disease control strategies are developed. What topoi are used? How have these topoi evolved over time? What specific control strategies have emerged from these topoi?
Walsh and Boyle call the generative notion of topos “a regimen for fostering readiness to act in the face of uncertainty”(Walsh & Boyle, 2017, p. 2). Given the likelihood for continued outbreaks of infectious diseases, it is imperative that we foster a readiness to act in the next global outbreak of infectious disease. As such, it is important to understand the internal rhetoric of research communities, in order to facilitate productive scientific invention to curb ongoing epidemics and stall potential pandemics. My book-length project will broaden the scope of previous work by exploring the rhetorical topologies used in the neglected tropical diseases research community, with special attention to the “vector” topos and the related categorization mechanisms of species, diseases, and pathogens. This work will contribute to the growing literature in post-critical rhetoric of science, health, and medicine, especially by providing a model for the study of rhetorical invention in a specific community. Additionally, the book will include at least one chapter on visual rhetoric and disease mapping, contributing to growing literature in visual rhetoric of science.
In addition to this project, I am currently working on an article-length project on the use of disease projection models and data visualizations in the COVID-19 pandemic. While these visualizations have great potential to persuade individuals to comply with public health recommendations, they lack the context, nuance, and human element necessary to be successful rhetorical devices. At the upcoming National Communication Association conference, I will present an analysis of the Johns Hopkins and Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation COVID-19 data dashboards and make recommendations for data visualization practices in public health.
Hartzog, M. (2017). Inventing Mosquitoes: Tracing the Topology of Vectors for Human Disease. In L. Walsh & C. Boyle (Eds.), Topologies as Techniques for a Post-Critical Rhetoric (pp. 75-98). Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.
Hartzog, M. (2018). Medicalized Mosquitoes: Rhetorical Invention in Genetic Engineering for Disease Control. In L. Meloncon & J. B. Scott (Eds.), Methodologies for the Rhetoric of Health and Medicine (pp. 261-275). New York: Routledge.
Walsh, L., & Boyle, C. (Eds.). (2017). Topologies as Techniques for a Post-Critical Rhetoric. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.
Contact: mollyhartzog.academia.edu