Victor J. Vitanza

Victor J. Vitanza is a Professor of English and Rhetoric at Clemson University and holds the Jean-François Lyotard Chair at The European Graduate School. His academic career spans institutions across the United States and Europe, focusing on the intersection of rhetoric, philosophy, and critical theory.

• B.A. in English Studies, University of Houston (1967)
• M.A. in English Studies, University of Houston (1975)
• Ph.D. in English, Northern Illinois University (1975)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Carnegie-Mellon University (1978-1979)
• Second Ph.D. (Habilitation), European Graduate School (2003)
• Post-Habilitation Seminar, Jacques Derrida (2004)

Vitanza’s research explores the relationship between rhetoric and postmodern philosophy, particularly through the works of Lyotard, Agamben, and Derrida. He investigates the exclusion of third terms in rhetorical theory, sexual violence in Western thought, and the potential for subversive writing practices outside institutional constraints. His scholarship spans classical and modern rhetorical theory, digital humanities, and the politics of information.

His recent publications interrogate historiographies of rhetoric through post-cinematic and atemporal lenses, while earlier works examine digital environments, MOO-based learning, and the collapse of negation in rhetorical frameworks. Vitanza’s edited journal PRE/TEXT and his directorship of its publishing webwork further cement his influence in rhetorical scholarship.

• 2010: Research Network Forum (Dedicated Research Mentoring)
• 1999 & 2000: Kairos Award for Best Webtext

Vitanza has directed Clemson University’s PhD program in Rhetorics, Communications, and Information Design (RCID) and mentored numerous scholars through editorial and pedagogical projects. His lectures on Lyotard’s Libidinal Economy and The Differend reflect his commitment to bridging rhetorical theory with philosophical inquiry.