Graduate Student Contact Info Tucker.Hoffmann@uga.edu Office: Caldwell 513 Tucker James Hoffmann is a masters student in Rhetorical Studies that specializes in the intersection of faith and American politics. He graduated from the University of Dayton in 2024 with a Bachelors degree in political science and a minor degree in English with a focus on Rhetorical studies. He earned Cum laude honors, as well as the title of scholar athlete in 2023 and 2024 by the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA). Tuckers undergraduate work revolved around the 501(c)3 political non-profit action group Turning Point USA (TPUSA). Using the writings of social theorists Jason Stanley, Ernesto LaClau, Chantal Mouffe, and Stuart Hall, Tucker delves into the rhetorical strategies used by Turning Point USA media contributors and executives to make far-right Christian beliefs appealing to young Americans. His work, Gen Z Gen Free: The Rise of Christian Right Politics on College Campuses serves as an ongoing research paper into TPUSAs effect on how young conservatives view higher educational institutions. The Politics of Hair Color: Floating Signifiers of Political Ideological Identification serves as an investigation as to how and why Turning Point USA and adjacent ideological organizations seek to vilify those who choose to look different than the norm, using natural and unnatural hair colors (eg. brown and bright blue) as the catalyst for such a conversation. Tucker has been published by Righting America, an online community interested in a scholarly conversation about creationism, evangelicalism, fundamentalism, the culture wars, and the Christian Right. The One Time an F is (Better than) Acceptable is a brief article examining TPUSAs attempts to rank and vilify higher educational institutions that fight against the ideals of the Christian Right. His other article, The Bitter Heart of Martha-Ann Alito: How the Meanings of Signs Change, provides a brief insight as to how the Sacred Heart of Jesus emblem as been usurped by homophobic groups and used in the month of June to protest LGBTQIA+ Pride events. With training from the University of Georgia Rhetorical studies program in the department of Communication Studies, Tucker hopes to continue his work investigating the Christian Right and raising awareness of how rhetoric plays a role in our every day life. He seeks to go on to achieve a PhD in Rhetorical Studies and eventually find a tenure track position as a professor. Education: University of Dayton, Bachelors degree in Political Science with a minor in English with a focus on Rhetorical studies.
