Teaching Interests:

Argumentation Theory & Practice, Political

Communication and Special Topics: Conspiracy Theories.

Research Interests:

In addition to his scholarship focusing on the theory and practice of intercollegiate debate, Dr. Atchison’s research interests include 19th century American public address. He explores the ways in which actors in the American polity sought to craft from their historical and cultural milieu the rhetorical materials to frame, define and justify the political and rhetorical choices they made. In recent years, his research has focused on the tumultuous periods before, during, and after the American Civil War. By examining the public discourse of James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, and Jefferson Davis,

Dr. Atchison explores the debates surrounding this defining event in American history.