Course Description and Learning Outcomes
Description
In Contemporary Rhetorical Theory, we will survey the key authors, concepts, issues, and debates of contemporary rhetoric and place them in a practical context. The first half of the course will focus on the (arguably) five most important contemporary rhetoricians (Weaver, Richards, Burke, Toulmin, and Perelman), and the second part will concentrate on contemporary rhetoric at work in culture through power relations, discourse, sexuality, race, media, advertising, and propaganda. Recognizing with Kenneth Burke “how overwhelmingly much of what we mean by ‘reality’ has been built for us through nothing but our symbol systems,” we will examine theories of rhetoric to better understand the pervasiveness of rhetoric in our ways of knowing. The class will consist of lectures, presentations, discussion, and workshop exercises.
Learning Outcomes
In this course, you will learn to:
- Explain key rhetoric theories and theorists of the 20th century.
- Apply these theories to contemporary culture.
- Compare these theories, individual theorists, and movements.
This online course was developed by Gordon Slethaug, with instructional design and multimedia development support provided by the Centre for Extended Learning. Further media production was provided by Instructional Technologies and Multimedia Services.
Grade Breakdown
| Activities and Assignments | Weight(%) |
|---|---|
| Introduce Yourself | 5% |
| Discussions | 25% (5x5%) |
| Reflections | 25% (5x5%) |
| Research Essay | 45% |
| Total | Weight 100% |
Course Schedule
|
Week |
Module |
Readings and Other Assigned Material |
Activities and Assignments |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Week 1 |
Module 1: Introduction |
Timothy Borchers, Heather Hundley. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Second Edition. Pages3-24. (Textbook). |
Introduce Yourself |
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Week 2 |
Module 2: Semiotics, Language, and Discourse (Saussure and Peirce) |
Groups for Discussions |
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Timothy Borchers, Heather Hundley. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Second Edition. Pages297-299, 126-129. (Textbook). |
Reflection 1 |
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Chandler, Daniel. "Models of the Sign", Semiotics, The Basics. Routledge. Second Edition (2007). (PDF). |
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Week 3 |
Module 3: Semiotics, Language, and Discourse (Barthes and Derrida) |
Timothy Borchers, Heather Hundley. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Second Edition. Pages126-130, 328-329. (Textbook). |
Discussion 1 |
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|
Barthes, Roland. "Myth Today", Mythologies. Hill and Wang, (1972). (PDF). |
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Derrida, Jacques. "Structure, Sign, and Play", Writing and Difference, trans. Alan Bass. University of Chicago Press; Reprint, 1993 edition (February 15, 1980). (PDF). |
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Week 4 |
Module 4: Traditional Rhetorics (Fish and Weaver) |
Timothy Borchers, Heather Hundley. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Second Edition. Pages162-170. (Textbook). |
Reflection 2 |
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Fish, Stanley. "Rhetoric", The Stanley Fish Reader. Wiley-Blackwell (January 1999).(PDF). |
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Weaver, Richard. "The Phaedrus and the Nature of Rhetoric", Readings in a Contemporary Rhetoric. Pages 130-145. (Textbook). |
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Week 5 |
Module 5: Traditional Rhetorics (Kenneth Burke) |
Timothy Borchers, Heather Hundley. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Second Edition. Pages171-188. (Textbook). |
Discussion 2 |
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|
Burke, Kenneth. "Dramatism", Readings in a Contemporary Rhetoric. Pages 160-170.(Textbook). |
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Burke, Kenneth. "Terministic Screens", Language as Symbolic Action: Essays on Life, Literature, and Method. Berkeley, Cal. University of California Press, 1966. (PDF). |
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Burke, Kenneth. "Definition of Man", Language as Symbolic Action: Essays on Life, Literature, and Method. Berkeley, Cal. University ofCalifornia Press, 1966. (PDF). |
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Week 6 |
Module 6: Traditional Rhetorics (Toulmin) |
Timothy Borchers, Heather Hundley. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Second Edition. Pages96-107. (Textbook). |
Discussion 3 |
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Toulmin, Stephen. "The Tyranny of Principles", Readings in a Contemporary Rhetoric. Pages 93-109. (Textbook). |
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Toulmin, Stephen. "Theory and Practice", Readings in a Contemporary Rhetoric. Pages 110-129. (Textbook). |
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Week 7 |
Module 7: TraditionalRhetorics (Perelman) |
Timothy Borchers, Heather Hundley. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Second Edition. Pages108-112. (Textbook). |
Reflection 3 |
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|
Perelman, Chaïm. "The New Rhetoric: A Theory of Practical Reasoning", Readings in a Contemporary Rhetoric. Pages 57-92. (Textbook). |
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Week 8 |
Module 8: Cultural Rhetoric, Critical Rhetoric, and Power (Marx) |
Timothy Borchers, Heather Hundley. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Second Edition. Pages291-316. (Textbook). |
Reflection 4 |
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Week 9 |
Module 9: Cultural Rhetoric, Critical Rhetoric, and Power (hooks and Foucault) |
Timothy Borchers, Heather Hundley. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Second Edition. Pages263-290. (Textbook). |
Discussion 4 |
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hooks, bell. "Reflections on Race and Sex", Readings in a Contemporary Rhetoric. Pages 228-234. (Textbook). |
Submit your Research Essay |
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hooks, bell. "Teaching Resistance," Readings in a Contemporary Rhetoric. Pages 243-249.(Textbook). |
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Foucault, Michel. "History, Discourse and Discontinuity", Readings in a Contemporary Rhetoric. Pages 283-301. (Textbook). |
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Foucault, Michel. "The History of Sexuality", Readings in a Contemporary Rhetoric. Pages 302-318. (Textbook). |
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Week 10 |
Module 10: Postmodernism (Baudrillard and Eco) |
Baudrillard, Jean. "A Marginal System: Collecting", Readings in a Contemporary Rhetoric. Pages 259-275. (Textbook). Timothy Borchers, Heather Hundley. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Second Edition. Pages 317- 328. (Textbook). |
Reflection 5 |
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Eco, Umberto. Travels in Hyperreality. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Reprint edition (2001). (PDF). |
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Week 11 |
Module 11: Media, Technology, and Advertising (McLuhan, Barthes, and McNair) |
Timothy Borchers, Heather Hundley. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Second Edition. Pages113-137. (Textbook). |
Discussion 5 |
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McLuhan, Marshall. "The Medium is theMessage". Understanding Media: TheExtensions of Man. The MIT Press; REV edition(Oct. 24 1994). (PDF).McLuhan, Marshall. "Media Hot and Cold".Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man.The MIT Press; REV edition (Oct. 24 1994).(PDF). |
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Barthes, Roland. "Rhetoric of the Image", Image Music Text. Hill and Wang. (July 1, 1978). (PDF). |
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McNair, Brian "Party Political Communication 1: grade Advertising", An Introduction to PoliticalCommunication. 5th Edition, Routledge (2011).(PDF). |
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Week 12 |
Module 12: Propaganda (Ellul and Hitler) |
Ellul, Jacques. "The Characteristics of Propaganda", Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes. Vintage (January 12, 1973). (PDF). |
Research Essay |
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Loebs, Bruce. "Hitler´s Rhetorical Theory", Relevant Rhetoric, Volume 1, Issue 1, Spring 2010. (PDF). |
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Official Grades and Course Access
Official Grades and Academic Standings are available through Quest.
Your access to this course will continue for the duration of the current term. You will not have access to this course once the next term begins.