Walter Jost

Walter Jost is a Professor at the University of Virginia, specializing in Critical Theory, Literary Theory, and Rhetoric. His work bridges philosophy, literature, and religious communication, with a focus on ordinary language criticism and modernist literary analysis.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1985
• M.A., University of Chicago, 1979
• M.A., University of Chicago, 1974
• B.A. (cum laude), St. Louis University, 1973

Research Interests: Jost’s scholarship examines rhetoric in poetry and narrative, the intersections of philosophy and literature, and the application of ordinary language methods to literary analysis. His work frequently explores themes like pluralism, ethical communication, and modernist aesthetics.

Recent Trends in Publications: His recent articles (2025–2000) analyze rhetorical structures in Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Frost, and Wittgensteinian frameworks, while his books like Rhetorical Investigations and Ordinary Language Criticism establish foundational theories in literary and rhetorical studies.

Awards & Recognition:

• 2018 Religious Communication Association Scholar of the Year
• 2001 International Society for the History of Rhetoric Travel Grant
• Multiple University of Virginia Sesquicentennial Research Awards
• 1994 Senior Fellow at the Commonwealth Center for Literary and Cultural Change

Grants & Contributions: Jost has received grants for teaching innovation and research, including the 1999 Teaching Initiative Grant. His edited works, such as The Blackwell Companion to the Philosophy of Literature, reflect his leadership in interdisciplinary scholarship.