By Emily Sok, Published February 20, 2024
Contact: VJoHsu@Austin.UTexas.Edu
Website: http://www.vjohsu.com/
Twitter/X Account: https://twitter.com/voxjohsu?lang=en
Dr. Vox Jo Hsu (they/them) is currently an assistant professor at the University of Texas’ Writing and Rhetoric program. They earned an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Pennsylvania State University, and their Ph.D. from the same institution. Their scholarship has centered on subjects including community writing, rhetoric and identity, and medical rhetorics.
In Dr. Vox Jo Hsu’s own words, “The questions driving my work are: What can the field(s) of rhetoric do to foster connection and care across difference? And, what stories must we tell to remake worlds conducive to one another’s thriving?” This care for inclusion and access is apparent in their teaching. Browse through their “shout outs,” which is a list of publications, activists, and teachers who have made a different in their life. This same site includes a description of Dr. Jo Hsu’s teaching experiences, which center on criticality and community engagement.
In a Huffington Post article, Dr. Vox Jo Hsu described a hateful encounter they experienced with another driver during the COVID-19 pandemic. It reflected broader social conditions, including anti-trans and anti-Asian sentiments, which were escalating at the time. They concluded, “We need responses to pain that are not about inflicting more harm, but about genuine healing.” Advocacy for inclusion and healing are apparent in other works from Dr. Jo Hsu, as well, like this article in TransGriot. Here they expressed the hope to hear from others, to connect with others and listen to shared experiences, noting in particular the value of writing in order to make those experiences known.
Take a look at some of their publications, many of which are available publicly through their academic.edu profile, according to Dr. Jo Hsu’s website. We so appreciate the consideration of access! Their website notes, “For those without library access, I have uploaded most of my research to my academia.edu page. If you cannot find something, please don’t hesitate to reach out.”
- See their academia.edu publication list here
- Constellating Home (2022), by Ohio State University Press, available here
- “Toward QTPOC Community: A Theory in the Flesh, an Open Letter, a Closing Wound” (2021), in Rhetoric, Politics, & Culture, available here
- “Framing the Activists: Gender, Race, and Rhetorical Disability in Contested Illnesses” (2023), in Quarterly Journal of Speech, available here
The Virginia Community Writing Collaborative 