Roles

Dr. Samah Al-Ballazi is a distinguished scholar and academic specializing in cultural rhetoric, writing and composition studies, and English language teaching. She currently serves as a faculty member in the Faculty of Arts and Languages at the University of Tripoli. She has also worked as an Associate Professor in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric Studies at the University of Utah. Her academic career is marked by rich international experiences and a deep commitment to exploring the intersections of language, culture, and identity.

Dr. Al-Ballazi earned her Ph.D. in English, with a primary focus on Composition and Applied Linguistics, from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Her dissertation, titled “Theorizing Libyan Feminism: Poetic Representation of 12 Libyan Muslim Women’s Experiences,” received wide acclaim. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Writing and Rhetoric at Stanford University, where she further developed her expertise in cultural rhetoric and composition studies.

Her research interests are diverse and interdisciplinary, including cultural rhetorics, healing pedagogy, arts-based research, and the rhetoric of Arab and Muslim women. Dr. Al-Ballazi has made significant contributions to the field through her innovative use of poetic ethnography as a research method, offering a unique perspective on the lived experiences of marginalized communities, as well as in the teaching of English as a second language.

Throughout her teaching career, she has designed and taught a wide range of courses, from intermediate writing and research methods to specialized topics such as writing about social justice and the everyday rhetoric of health, environment, and food. Her pedagogical approach is grounded in her research, emphasizing inclusivity, diversity, and the transformative power of writing.

Her leadership extends beyond the classroom, as she has served on numerous committees, including the Writing Placement Committee and the Belonging and Community Task Force at the University of Utah. Her commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive academic environment is also reflected in her role as Associate Director of the First-Year Writing Program, as well as her involvement in professional development initiatives, teacher training, and graduate student mentoring.

Careers

Dr. Al-Ballazi has extensive and diverse teaching experience that spans higher education institutions in the United States and internationally. She has taught a range of writing and rhetoric courses at the University of Utah, including intermediate and advanced writing in the arts and humanities. She previously taught at Stanford University, where she designed and delivered courses on global literacy, visual rhetoric, and cross-cultural writing. Her experience also includes teaching academic writing, research writing, and ESL courses at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, as well as applied linguistics and literature in Libya. Her teaching approach emphasizes inclusive pedagogy, student engagement, and support for multilingual writers, contributing to the development of critical thinking and effective communication skills.

University of Tripoli, Libya 

Teaching Assistant

Department of Writing and Rhetoric Studies. University of Utah

Associate Professor (Lecturer of records)

Assistant Professor (Lecturer of records) 

Program in Writing and Rhetoric. Stanford University

Lecturer

 English Department. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Teaching Assistant

Graduate Research Assistant

ESL tutor    

 Faculty Member (Teaching Assistant ) English Department/Faculty of Languages. Tripoli University/ Libya

Research Interests

Dr. Al-Ballazi  research focuses on rhetoric, teacher training, and second language writing, with a particular emphasis on arts-based research methods such as poetic ethnography. Her work explores the lived experiences and rhetorical expressions of Arab and Muslim women, addressing issues of identity. She is especially interested in the role of writing and poetry as tools for healing, self-expression, and knowledge production, as well as in English language learning. Her research contributes to interdisciplinary conversations in rhetoric and composition, applied linguistics, and qualitative research, while promoting more inclusive and culturally responsive approaches to research and teaching.

TESOL

Cultural rhetoric(s).

Healing pedagogy.

FYW and second language teaching.

Arts-based research: poetic ethnography.

External Activities

Research consultant 

 Reviewer: Ethnography (Sage Publication). 2022-present

Reviewer. English Language Teaching Journal.2015 -present

Proposal reviewer. American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2017-2022

Judge: Outstanding dissertation in Arts-Based Educational Research (ABER) 2019-2022

Guest reviewer: Journal of Contemporary Issues in Education. Fall 2021