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Profile for Louise Zamparutti

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Louise Zamparutti

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Associate Professor
English
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

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Louise Zamparutti Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Associate Professor

English

Specialty area(s)

Memory studies, public memory, rhetorical history, grant writing, professional writing, technical writing

Brief biography

Dr. Zamparutti's research focuses on rhetorical history, public memory, and identity. Her publications cover diverse subject matter, such as rival World War II memorials, laws banning transgender athletes, and Covid lockdown protests. Her work is published in Research in Social Change, Rhetoric Review, Romance Studies, and Human Remains and Violence, and she has contributed to the edited volumes Covid Communications: Exploring Pandemic Discourse (Springer, 2023) and A Century of Italian War Narratives (Brill, 2023). Her stage play, Identità/Identiteta, was produced in Milwaukee, WI and is part of the curriculum in drama courses at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Her research in Slovenia has been funded by Fulbright, the University of Ljubljana, and UWL. Dr. Zamparutti speaks fluent Italian and mediocre French, and she is studying Slovene. Her teaching takes a social justice approach to technical and professional writing, challenging assumptions about neutrality and objectivity and finding ways to include historically underrepresented authors and audiences into the development of student writing. Currently, Dr. Zamparutti is working on a book about the resurgence of fascism in Italy through a case study of a new national memorial.

Current courses at UWL

ENG 307: Writing for Management, Public Relations, and the Professions

ENG 308: Technical Writing

ENG 314: Grant Writing

ENG 335: Introduction to Professional and Technical Writing

Education

PhD., UW-Milwaukee

B.A., Hampshire College

Career

Teaching history

ENG 497: Seminar in Writing and Rhetoric Studies (Special Topic: Political Discourse and Rhetoric versus "Truth")

Health Science Writing (UW Milwaukee)

Technical Writing (UW Milwaukee)

Business Writing (UW Milwaukee)

Professional history

Prior to earning her Ph.D. in English at UW-Milwaukee, Dr. Zamparutti was a dancer and choreographer, performing and showcasing original works in Seattle, New York, Italy, and Germany. She also worked as a Health and Wellness Director for the YMCA in Seattle and as a freelance translator (Italian-English) and writing coach. While earning her Ph.D. she taught professional, technical writing, and health science writing and worked as a Writing Center Tutor. These diverse professional experiences inform her teaching and research.

Research and publishing

Monument in Motu: The Positionality of Place. Lexington Books, expected publication 2026.

"Trans at Risk, Not as Risk: Overriding Asystasis." With co-authors Avery Edenfield and Ryan Cheek. Submitted to Rhetoric Review 

"The Foibe War Narrative: The New Antiheroes of the Second Republic." Chapter in A Century of Italian War Narratives. (Brill: 2023).

"Self-Isolation and Consubstantiality: COVID-19 Terminology and Collective Identity." Chapter in COVID Communication: Exploring Pandemic Discourse (Springer: 2023).

“The ‘Antenarrative’ in Asynchronous Online Technical Communication Courses:  A Social Justice Approach to Teaching.” IEEE Xplore, 2022.

"The Basovizza Monument: Constructing Memory and Identity." Research in Social Change, 2019.

"Plato, Mary Baker Eddy, and Kenneth Burke: Can We Talk About Substance?" Rhetoric Review, 37:2, 2018, 199-211. DOI: 10.1080/07350198.2018.1424479.

"Brava Gente and the Counter (Re)public of Italy: Constructing the Foibe as a National Symbol." Romance Studies, 35:1, 2017, 12-30. DOI: 10.1080/02639904.2017.1299913.

DeVasto, D., Graham, S.S., and Zamparutti, L. (2016). "Stasis and Matters of Concern: The Conviction of the L’Aquila Seven." Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 30:2, 2016, 131-164. DOI: 10.1177/1050651915620364

"Foibe Literature: Documentation or Victimhood Narrative?" Human Remains and Violence, 1:1, 2015, 75–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7227/HRV.1.1.6

Kudos

presented

Louise Zamparutti, English, presented "Mystery as Evidence: Mythos, Mystery, and Evidentia in the Foiba di Basovizza Memorial" at Retorica Oggi on Monday, Nov. 11 online.

Submitted on: Nov. 11

presented

Bryan Kopp, Christopher McCracken, Lindsay Steiner and Louise Zamparutti, all English, presented "Teaching rhetorical complexity through an AI-mediated case study in technical writing" at CATL Conference on Teaching & Learning on Aug. 27 in La Crosse, WI.

Submitted on: Aug. 29

presented

Louise Zamparutti, English, presented "Re-imagining World War II: New Memorials, 'Reconciliation,' and Cold War Polarities" at International Society for the History of Rhetoric on July 26.

Submitted on: July 30

presented

Louise Zamparutti, English, presented "Italy’s Anne Frank: Norma Cossetto and New Fascism" at Rhetoric Society of America Conference on May 23 in Denver, CO.

Submitted on: May 28

presented

Louise Zamparutti, English, presented "Theatre Games for Tired Professors: A Participatory Activity and Workshop" at English Department William J. and Yvonne M. Hyde Colloquium Series on Friday, April 19 in La Crosse, WI.

Submitted on: April 19