Benjamin Ristow

Benjamin Ristow is an Associate Professor of Writing and Rhetoric and serves as Chair of the Writing and Rhetoric department at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He joined the faculty in 2012 and is based in Smith Hall, Geneva, NY.

• PhD, Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English, University of Arizona
• MFA, Fiction, University of Arizona
• MA, Literature, Loyola Marymount University

His research and teaching focus on creative writing, composition studies, classical rhetoric, writing across the curriculum, and writing program administration. He is particularly interested in the intersections between artistic practice and pedagogical innovation, and in how writing workshops can be reimagined through rhetorical and neosophistic frameworks. His work explores both theoretical and creative dimensions of writing, emphasizing curriculum design and peer tutoring models.

His recent publications include scholarly chapters and peer-reviewed creative works in journals such as Southwest Review, AMBIT, Terrain, and Gray's Sporting Journal. His forthcoming book with Bloomsbury Academic examines craft consciousness in creative writing. The publications reflect a strong interdisciplinary trend, blending literary creativity with rhetorical analysis and educational theory, particularly in writing pedagogy and program development.

• Shortlisted for The London Magazine Short Story Contest Prize (2017)

Ristow has advised course design initiatives in writing centers and contributed to the theoretical foundations of writing workshop models. His teaching experience includes courses such as The Video Essay, Digital Rhetoric, Power and Persuasion, and Writer's Guild. He is affiliated with professional organizations including NCTE/CCCC, MLA, IWCA, and AWP, reflecting his active engagement in the writing and rhetoric community.

He plays a central role in shaping writing curriculum and pedagogy at HWS, leading initiatives in writing program administration and peer tutoring. His collaborative work with Hannah Dickinson on tutor preparation seminars highlights his commitment to innovative, embedded writing support.