Ian Hill

Ian Hill is an Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Literatures within the Faculty of Arts at the University of British Columbia, where he also serves as TA Coordinator. He is additionally affiliated with UBC's Graduate Program in Science and Technology Studies, demonstrating his interdisciplinary approach to scholarship at the intersection of rhetoric and technological studies.

Hill earned his PhD from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, establishing a foundation for his scholarly work in rhetorical theory and its relationship to technology. His academic journey has positioned him as a significant contributor to the understanding of how rhetorical practices interact with technological development and implementation.

Hill's research program centers on rhetoric and technology, specifically examining how people advocate, resist, design, and debate machines and systems, as well as how technologies themselves function as persuasive agents. His current book project investigates weapons rhetoric across historical periods from the French Revolution to the Unabomber's mail bombing campaign. His scholarship spans diverse topics including the rhetoric of 'masses' in 19th century political economy, sonic torture methodologies, and Kenneth Burke's philosophy of technology. Hill approaches these subjects through the lens of how technological artifacts and systems shape and are shaped by rhetorical practices.

His publication record reveals a consistent trajectory of scholarly engagement with the relationship between rhetoric and technology. His work demonstrates methodological diversity, employing historical analysis, textual criticism, and theoretical exploration to examine how technological systems become embedded in rhetorical practices. The recurring theme across his publications is the examination of technology not merely as tools but as persuasive systems that shape human thought and social organization.

As an educator, Hill teaches undergraduate courses where students engage with landmark texts in rhetorical history alongside contemporary documents related to current events, learning how persuasion functions in everyday communication. His graduate courses focus specifically on using artifact criticism to understand the interactivity between rhetoric and technology, guiding advanced students in developing critical approaches to technological systems.

Hill maintains an active scholarly presence through his academic website (http://ianejhillrhetoric.wordpress.com) and continues to contribute to ongoing conversations in rhetoric, technology studies, and the interdisciplinary field of Science and Technology Studies.