Antonio de Velasco

Dr. Antonio de Velasco is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Memphis, affiliated with the College of Communication and Fine Arts. His research focuses on rhetorical theory, political communication, and public memory, particularly examining issues of race, power, and democratic deliberation. He has published extensively in journals like Rhetoric Society Quarterly and Journal of Contemporary Rhetoric, and authored books including Centrist Rhetoric: The Production of Political Transcendence in the Clinton Presidency (2010). His work analyzes presidential discourses, counterpublics, and the role of monuments in cultural memory.

Dr. de Velasco holds a Ph.D. from Emory University and a B.A. from Guilford College. He has directed 11 doctoral dissertations and 7 MA projects, serving on over 30 graduate committees. His recognitions include the Faudree University Professorship (2019) and the Benjamin W. Rawlins Meritorious Professorship (2020), reflecting his contributions to teaching and research.

His recent scholarship explores Black Southern counterpublics challenging Confederate monuments in Memphis and examines U.S. ambassador Nikki Haley’s rhetoric on Syrian refugees. He contributes to public discourse through platforms like MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, addressing issues of racial justice and civic engagement.