Faculty of Education and Language Studies > People Profiles > Stephen Pihlaja

Stephen Pihlaja

Research Student

The Open University Faculty of Education and Language Studies

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Personal Website

Profile

Although I am originally from the US, I live in Milton Keynes, England with my wife and daughters. I hold a BA in Creative Writing from Knox College in Galesburg, IL, an MA in Applied Linguistics from the University of Birmingham (UK), and an MA in Research Methods (Education) from the Open University. Currently, I am in the fourth year of a PhD in Metaphor Theory and Computer-mediated Communication, supervised by Lynne Cameron and Daniel Allington. My thesis is titled 'The Development of Drama in YouTube Discourse'.

I also tutor MA students for the University of Birmingham’s TESOL/ Applied Linguistics distance programme, and teach undergraduates at Middlesex University and the University of Westminster.

I have three little girls and one wife and no pets (although I suspect that's the next thing I'll get talked into).

From January 2013, I will be an Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham. I will be working at the university's International campus in Kuala Lumpur to present the new BA hons in Language and Literature.

Teaching Interests

Discourse Analysis, Stylistics, Metaphor Theory, Applied Linguistics, Computer Mediated Communication, 'New' Atheism, Evangelicalism

Research Interests

Internet discourse, computer-mediated communication, YouTube, blogs and blogging, metaphor, inter-religious dialogue,Complex Systems Theory, Heuristics, Positioning Theory, 'New' Atheism, Evangelicalism

Current Research

Doctor of Philosophy (expected completion: September 2012)

Thesis title: The development of 'drama' in YouTube discourse

Publications

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