The tactical dialectic: reframing tactical technical communication through the writing practices of activists and technical experts

Avgoustopoulos, Rebecca E

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129811 Copy

Description

Title

The tactical dialectic: reframing tactical technical communication through the writing practices of activists and technical experts

Author(s)

Avgoustopoulos, Rebecca E

Issue Date

2025-05-12

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Gallagher, John R

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Gallagher, John R

Committee Member(s)

• Littlefield, Melissa M
• McNulty, Tess D
• Weber, Ryan P

Department of Study

English

Discipline

English

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Technical and Professional Communication
• Tactical Technical Communication
• Tactical Dialectic
• Michel de Certeau
• digital platforms
• AI/ML communication
• online technical writing
• case study methodology
• networked communication

Abstract

This dissertation explores the evolving role of Technical and Professional Communication (TPC) within digital platforms. While traditional TPC focused on institutional writing and technical documentation, the rise of user-generated content and algorithm-driven communication has expanded the field’s boundaries. Tactical Technical Communication (TTC), introduced by Miles Kimball, emphasizes every day, user-created content that resists institutional norms. However, based on Michel de Certeau’s The Practice of Everyday Life., TTC often relies on a binary framework that positions individual tactics in opposition to institutional strategies, This project proposes the Tactical Dialectic (TD) to better capture how technical communicators operate within and alongside institutional systems, especially in online environments. Rather than purely resisting structures, users navigate and adapt them to meet community and personal goals. Case studies include the activist group Emojination, which works within the Unicode Consortium to advocate for more inclusive emojis, and AI/ML researchers who publish in public forums to democratize access to technical knowledge. These examples reveal how technical writers use platform tools strategically while maintaining user agency. The Tactical Dialectic reframes TTC for the digital age, offering a model that accounts for collaboration, adaptation, and resistance within complex, networked systems of communication and control.

Graduation Semester

2025-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129811

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2025 Rebecca Avgoustopoulos

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