Dr. Godwin Agboka

Degrees Earned

Ph.D., English Studies (emphasis Rhetoric and Professional Writing), Illinois State University, 2010

M.A., Linguistics, Illinois State University, 2006

B.A., English and Theatre Arts, University of Ghana, 2003

Diploma in Journalism, Ghana Institute of Journalism, 2000

Courses Taught

• TCOM 6310: Intercultural and World Communication
• TCOM 5325: Advanced Medical Writing
• TCOM 6331: Grant Writing for Nonprofit Management
• TCOM 3325: Medical Writing
• TCOM 3302: Business and Technical Report Writing
• TCOM 5304: Foundations of Professional and Technical Communication
• TCOM: 4306: Science Writing
• TCOM 4322: Editing, Rewriting, & Copyreading
• TCOM 3318: Studies in English Grammar
• TCOM 3308: Legal Writing

Experience Qualifications

Dr. Godwin Agboka is associate professor of technical and professional communication (TPC) in the Department of English at the University of Houston-Downtown, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in TPC. His research interests include intercultural communication, social justice, human rights, medical and science communication, legal writing, and research methodologies as they relate to cross-cultural research. His publications have appeared in Technical Communication Quarterly, Technical Communication, Journal of Business and Technical Communication, Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, and Connexions. He's also co-edited two special issues and two book collections, all on themes of advocacy and social justice. His book monograph, Social Justice Methodological Approaches for Conducting Research in Technical Communication, is under contract with Utah State University Press. Dr. Agboka currently serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Business and Technical Communication, Technical Communication Quarterly, and Communication Design Quarterly. Dr. Agboka completed coursework in technical communication, international technical communication, research methods, social justice, technical editing, composition, and linguistics. He also has certifications in online teaching. Thus, his educational, professional, and teaching experiences equip him to teach courses in technical communication, medical and science writing, and research methods in multiple content-delivery formats.

More Information

Publications

Agboka, G. Y. (2021). What is on the traditional herbal medicine label?: Technical communication and patient safety in Ghana. Technical Communication, 68(1), 4-19. [Peer reviewed].

Agboka, G. Y. (2020). Legally minded technical communicators: A case study of a legal writing course. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 34(4), 393-414. https://doi.org/10.1177/1050651920932198. [Peer reviewed].

Agboka, G. Y. (2020). "Subjects" in and of research: Decolonizing oppressive rhetorical practices in technical communication research. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047281620901484. [Peer reviewed].

Agboka, G. Y. (2018). Indigenous contexts, new questions: Integrating human rights perspectives in technical communication. In Angela M. Haas and Michelle F. Eble (Eds.), Key theoretical frameworks: Teaching technical communication in the twenty-first century (pp. 114-137). Boulder, CO: Utah State University Press. [Peer reviewed].

Agboka, G. Y., & Matveeva, N. (Eds.). (2018). Citizenship and advocacy in technical communication: Scholarly and pedagogical perspectives. New York, NY: Routledge. [Peer reviewed].

Dorpenyo, I., & Agboka, G. (Eds.). (2018). Technical communication and election technologies. [Special Issue]. Technical Communication, 66(4). [Peer reviewed].

Savage, G. J., & Agboka, G. (Eds.). (2016). Professional communication, social justice, and the Global South. [Special Issue]. Connexions, 4(1). [Peer reviewed].

Agboka, G. Y., & Matveeva, N. (2018). Preface: Advocating for the good of humanity: Technical communication as a tool for change. In Godwin Y. Agboka and Natalia Matveeva (Eds.), Citizenship and advocacy in technical communication: Scholarly and pedagogical perspectives (pp. xxv-xxxvii). New York, NY: Routledge.

Dorpenyo, I., & Agboka, G. (2018). Guest editorial: Election technologies, technical communication, and civic engagement. Technical Communication, 66(4), 349-353.

Savage, G., & Agboka, G. (2016). Guest editors' introduction to special issue: Professional communication,social justice, and the Global South. Connexions, 4(1), 3-17.

Agboka, G. (2014). Decolonial methodologies: Social justice perspectives in intercultural communication research. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 44, 297-327. [Peer reviewed].

Agboka, G. (2013). Thinking about social justice research: Interrogating the international in international technical communication discourse. Connexions • International Professional Communication Journal, 1, 1-9. [Peer reviewed]. Lead Article.

Agboka, G. (2013). Participatory localization: A social justice approach to navigating unenfranchised/disenfranchised sites. Technical Communication Quarterly, 22, 28-49. [Peer reviewed].

Agboka, G. (2012). Liberating intercultural technical communication from "Large Culture" ideologies: Constructing culture discursively. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 42, 159-181.

Agboka, G. & Brooklyn, L. (Eds.). (2009). The redbird reader: A collection of student writing. Normal: Stipes Publishing, L.L.C.

Agboka, G. (2005). English literature made easy. Accra: Royal Nark.

Forthcoming, Peer-Reviewed Publications

Walton, R. & Agboka, G. (Eds.). (Forthcoming in May 2021). Equipping technical communicators for social justice work: Theories, methodologies, and pedagogies. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press. [Peer reviewed].

Agboka, G. & Dorpenyo I. (Forthcoming in January 2022 issue). Curricular efforts in technical communication after the social justice turn. Journal of Business and Technical Communication. [Peer reviewed].

Works in Progress: Monograph and Special Issue

Agboka, G. Y. (Under contract). Social Justice methodological approaches for conducting research in technical communication. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press.

Agboka, G. Y. & Dorpenyo, I. K. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication special issue on enacting social justice in professional communication (to be published in March 2022).

Honors and Accomplishments

Grants and Fellowships

Winner, Funded Faculty Leave, University of Houston-Downtown (Spring 2020)

Winner, Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship (Spring 2018).

Winner (with Drs. Archiopoli, Hoang, & Matveeva), Faculty Development Grant, Office of Sponsored Programs, University of Houston-Downtown (Fall 2018)

Winner, Elkins Endowment Fund Award, Department of English, University of Houston-Downtown (Fall 2018)

Winner, Elkins Endowment Fund Award, Department of English, University of Houston-Downtown (Fall 2017)

Winner, Faculty Development Grant, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, University of Houston-Downtown (Fall 2016)

Winner (with Dr. Rey Romero) Mini-Grant for Integrating Community Engagement into a spring Course, University of Houston-Downtown (Fall 2014)

Winner of Organized Research and Creative Activities (ORCA) Grant, University of Houston-Downtown (Fall 2013).

Teaching Awards

Winner of Master's Level Teaching Initiative Award, Department of English, Illinois State University (Spring 2005)

Nominated by Department of English, Illinois State University for Illinois State University's Teaching Award, Level I Masters (Fall 2005)

Government Award

Winner, Ghana Government Scholarship Award (Ghana Education Trust Fund) (Fall 2004).

Academic Awards

Article ("Liberating Intercultural Technical Communication from "Large Culture" Ideologies: Constructing Culture Discursively)" Nominated by the Journal of Technical Writing and Communication for NCTE/CCCC's Best Article on Pedagogy or Curriculum in Technical or Scientific Communication

Doctoral Dissertation Nominated for Clarence W. Sorensen Distinguished Dissertation Award, Illinois State University, (Fall 2011).

Graduate Student Scholarship for Best Research, Association of Business Communication, (Fall 2010).