Kelly Wilz, Ph.D.

Kelly Wilz, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Communication/Theatre Arts and Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County. Her research and teaching explore the intersections of education, media literacy, gender, politics, democracy, and popular culture. The focus of her primary research is on rhetorical constructions of gender, violence, and dissent within the context of U.S. war culture and American politics. Related topics of interest include how dehumanizing and demonizing rhetoric extend beyond war to broader patterns of social violence based on intersectional discourses of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and other identity markers. Kelly’s academic publications have appeared in multiple edited collections and top-tier journals such as Rhetoric & Public Affairs and the Global Media Journal. An award-winning teacher, she has taught a wide range of classes, including: an introduction to gender and women’s studies, women in popular culture, gender and communication, public speaking, communication, rhetoric, film and television, interpersonal communication, organizational communication, and business communication. A passionate speaker and an inspiring advocate, Kelly has given talks with a wide variety of audiences and forums, such as: an Aging and Disability Resource Center; an Iraq War Symposium; a Lecture Series on Women, Violence, and the Media; on Rape Culture and Silence on college campuses; on Violence and American Masculinity; and more. As a firm believer in public engagement, Kelly also is a cultural critic. She currently is a writer at the American Association of University Professors' Academe Blog. Her work has appeared on The Huffington Post, Thought Catalog, Feministing, and other media outlets.