James A. Berlin

Who was James A. Berlin?

James A. Berlin was a theorist in the field of composition studies known for his scholarship on the history of rhetoric and composition theory.

Berlin was born in Hamtramck, Michigan and attended St. Florian High School. He earned his BA from Central Michigan University and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in Victorian literature in 1975. He served as a professor of English at Wichita State University, at the University of Cincinnati, where he directed first-year English from 1981–85, and at Purdue University from 1987-1994. Between Cincinnati and Purdue, Berlin served as visiting professor at the University of Texas and at Penn State University.

Along with other leading figures in contemporary rhetorical theory such as Lisa Ede, Robert Inkster, Charles Kneupper, Linda Flower, Janice Lauer, and Victor Vitanza, Berlin participated in an NEH fellowship-in-residence to work with Richard Young on the topic of rhetorical invention. It was at this stage in his career that Berlin invested heavily in the work of Karl Marx, which it was said was perhaps one of the most joyous periods in his professional life. Later, Berlin would draw upon Göran Therborn's version of Marxist ideology, particularly because Berlin found in Therborn a comrade who recognized the power and function of rhetorical principles.