For millennia, humans have studied rhetoric as the art of communicating effectively. As a result, we have inherited a wealth of theories about using language to express ideas, make decisions, and provoke actions that are still relevant to the writing we do today.
In this course, we will be surveying the origins and modern development of these theories in Western culture – from the political sophistry of antiquity, through the rules for rhetorical etiquette in the Middle Ages, to the delivery of rational argument in the Age of Enlightenment. Across these eras, we will put different theorists (and practitioners) into conversation with one another to identify the basic principles and debates that have shaped rhetoric then and now.
Students will read primary sources from throughout rhetorical history and take exams to test their understanding of the theories covered. Each student will also learn and presetn on one theorist, analyze their use of rhetoric in their own writing, and write a reflection on how they would define rhetoric given what they've learned in the course.
Required Textbook: Herrick, James. The History and Theory of Rhetoric: An Introduction. 4th ed. New York: Allyn & Bacon, 2009.
Created July 2008