20 years of Tracing Genres through Organizations

Just a quick note that my first book, Tracing Genres through Organizations (MIT Press), was published 20 years ago today. 

I honestly can't believe it's been 20 years -- it feels like maybe 10. TGTO was in turn based on my 1999 dissertation, directed by the amazing David R. Russell, whose gentle prodding and extensive readings pushed me to think through what I was seeing. Through that project, and other research I was doing at the time, I developed a consistent admiration for my participants: I could see how people developed their own workarounds and practices to address their own consistent practices. As I learned how to model these practices, I was able to see how these workarounds sometimes revolutionized people's activities, often without them realizing it. That admiration for people's problem-solving abilities still animates my studies and teaching. 

I'm forever grateful to everyone who helped make this book a reality: first and foremost my participants, who generously hosted me; David Russell and the rest of the dissertation committee, who guided me; faculty at Texas Tech and the University of Texas, who were willing to discuss it with me; and the editors of the Acting with Technology series at MIT Press, who were willing to give this book a shot.