Rhetoric, or the art of persuasion, has a long history going
back to ancient Greece and Rome. In ancient times, the study of rhetoric was a
prerequisite for participation in political affairs of the polis, or the Greek
city-state. For those taking an active part in civic affairs, the ability to
identify and evaluate arguments put forth by others and respond appropriately
was of crucial importance. Because of this, instruction in rhetoric was part of
the trivium of classical education (the other two subjects were grammar and
logic). While this tradition still serves as the foundation for current
rhetorical studies, our contemporary world is characterized by new communication
technologies, which are radically transforming the nature of rhetorical
discourse. Where the ancients had to rely primarily on oral communication,
today we just as frequently engage in written and even digital forms of
communication. We also no longer engage solely with our local communities, but
new communication technologies enable us to engage in national and even global
debates.
It is the purpose of this course to introduce students to
classical rhetoric and its application to civic discourse in the contemporary
world. Students in this course will learn to identify and evaluate arguments in
their traditional oral and written forms, as well as in their more recent
digital and multi-modal forms. Students will further receive plenty of practice
in composing arguments that are suitable for a variety of purposes, contexts,
and audiences. For the duration of the course, students will closely follow
local and national debates covered in the news, which will serve as starting
points for their own compositions.
Course Requirements
Attendance and participation
Frequent updates about current events posted to class
website
Short exploratory essays and reading responses (about 8 total)
Three written arguments (1200-1500 words)
Peer review workshops
Required Text (available at the UHM bookstore)
Sharon Crowley and Debra Hawhee’s Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students.
(5th edition.)
Additional readings will be posted on the course website.