Practicing a Pedagogy of Slow Resistance in the Writing Classroom

Authors

• Kathleen Rose Dillon, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Deborah Minter

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Committee Members

Lauren Gatti, Rachael Shah, Shari Stenberg, Stacey Waite

Department

English

Date of this Version

5-5-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Citation

A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy

Major: English

Under the supervision of Professor Deborah Minter

Lincoln, Nebraska, May 2026

Comments

Copyright 2026, Kathleen Rose Dillon. Used by permission

Abstract

Especially during and following the ‘lockdown era’ of the COVID-19 pandemic, college writing instructors have sought ways to mitigate the harms of neoliberal and capitalist practices in the academy and writing classroom. Incorporating elements of Slow Pedagogy, Disability Studies, Anti-Capitalist Composition, and Participatory Action Research methodology, this dissertation argues for practicing a Pedagogy of Slow Resistance, centering co-creation and relationship-building, to resist neoliberal and capitalist values, and promote student belonging and well-being. This dissertation highlights a classroom study in which two undergraduate students in the TRIO program, which serves students who are first in their family to go to college, have high financial need, and/or are disabled, co-created a college 100-level writing course with the instructor. One of the student co-planners enrolled in the study course, serving as a teaching assistant, and reflected on the course weekly with the instructor. The instructor then compared day one to end of the semester writing reflections and conducted interviews with course participants after the semester ended to gauge the impact of a pedagogy of Slow Resistance on belonging, well-being, and writing. While the study results speak to an increase in belonging and well-being amongst study participants, they also point to the need for writing instructors to continue to co-create access and inclusivity practices with students, rather than relying on even well-meaning progressive practices and ideas to claim what practices would support students best.

Recommended Citation

Dillon, Kathleen Rose, "Practicing a Pedagogy of Slow Resistance in the Writing Classroom" (2026). Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–. 500.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissunl/500