James Ryan

James Ryan, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Writing/Communications at the University of Alaska, affiliated with the Department of Humanities Education within the School of Arts and Sciences. His work bridges creative writing, composition studies, and addiction recovery. Ryan holds a Ph.D. in Composition and Rhetoric from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.A. in English from California State University, Fullerton, an M.T.S. in Theology from Boston University School of Theology, and a B.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Maine at Farmington.

• Education:
• Ph.D. in Composition and Rhetoric, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• M.A. in English, California State University, Fullerton
• M.T.S. in Theology, Boston University School of Theology
• B.F.A. in Creative Writing, University of Maine at Farmington

His research focuses on creativity, recovery writing practices among addicts, and pedagogy. He authored Recovery Writing—a memoir-research hybrid—and co-authored Beyond Craft: An Anti-Handbook for Creative Writers (Bloomsbury Academic). Ryan co-founded the Creative Writing Studies Organization and its academic journal, Journal of Creative Writing Studies.

Labs/Teams: Active in creative writing education initiatives and recovery writing advocacy.