Assistant Professor
Year Started at JMU: 2021
wourmajj@jmu.edu
Contact Info
Education
Ph.D., Rhetoric & Writing (Digital Rhetoric and Professional Writing emphasis), Michigan State University, 2021
M.A., Written Communication (Professional & Technical Writing Emphasis), Eastern Michigan University, 2017
B.S., Language, Literature, & Writing, Eastern Michigan University, 2013
Professional Focuses
Writing for businesses and nonprofits, Content Strategy, Mulitmodal Rhetoric, Visual Rhetoric, Black Women's Entrepreneurship, Black Feminisit Theory, Black Popular Culture.
She researches at the intersections of race and culture in technical communication, with a specialization in digital and visual rhetoric. Currently, she is interested in ways small business owners and entrepreneurs can inform their audiences through culturally relevant design practices and content strategy on their digital platforms. Her most recent scholarship looks at the role of sound and multimedia for social change.
Publications
Peer reviewed
Wourman, Ja'La; Mckoy, Temptaous, Shelton, Cecilia, Sackey, Donnie, Jones, Natasha, Harper, Kimberly. "CCCC Black Technical and Professional Communication Statement and Resource Guide." Sept 2020.
Wourman, Ja'La J and Shingi Mavima. "Our Story Had to Be Told! A Look at the Intersection of the Black Campus Movement and Black Digital Media." Spark: A 4C4Equality. Vol 2. 9 July 2020.
https://sparkactivism.com/volume-2-call/vol-2-intro/our-story-had-to-be-told/
Editorial
Mckoy, T., Shelton, C., Wourman, J., Jones, N., Haywood, C., Harper, K., & Sackey, D.
Black Technical And Professional Communication: Special Issue. Technical Communication Quarterly. (expected Fall 2022).
Leger, S., Rodriguez, E., Wourman, J., Kelly, S., & Lauren B.
Writing, Composing, and Circulating Sound for Social Change. A special issue of Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy. 2021.
Blog Posts
Wourman, Ja'La. The Rhetoric of Participation: Considering Genevieve Critel's work with Katherine DeLuca & Lauren Obermark. Computers & Compositions. Digital Press. Oct. 2019.
https://ccdigitalpress.org/blog/2019/10/24/rhetorics-of-participation
