Professor James Paul Gee stands as a pioneering scholar whose work traverses literacy studies, sociolinguistics, and digital learning. His theory of ‘Discourses’, defined as socially situated ways of being that integrate language, values, and practices, has fundamentally reshaped how educators and researchers conceptualize literacy beyond traditional print boundaries and into the domains of identity formation and social participation. As Mary Lou Fulton Presidential Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University, his interdisciplinary contributions span critical theory, video game-based learning, and digital literacies, offering nuanced perspectives on human cognition and engagement across contexts. This conversation explores his insights into the evolving nature of literacy in relation to his Discourse theory, particularly in light of recent developments in generative artificial intelligence (AI) that are transforming notions of authorship, meaning-making, and literacy practices in contemporary society.
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