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Exploring the Art of Rhetoric: Influence, Persuasion, and Social Change

Learn about the power of rhetoric, its historical roots, and its modern impact on society. Discover how to critically analyze persuasive messages, participate in democracy, and advocate for justice using effective communication skills.

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Exploring the Art of Rhetoric: Influence, Persuasion, and Social Change

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  1. RHETORICAL COMMUNICATIONCHAPTER 12

  2. What is rhetoric? • The heart of communication studies, originated in Ancient Greece • Rhetoric = communication that is used to influence the attitudes or behaviors of others; the art of persuasion • Rhetoric is not always speech/words • Things, spaces, bodies, etc. can be rhetorical

  3. Why study rhetoric? • Understand the range of viewpoints on social issues • Critically evaluate persuasive messages • Become better communicators • Participate in democracy • Seek justice

  4. The Rhetorical Tradition • Sophists: the purpose of rhetoric is to persuade (seen as deceptive) • Plato: speakers should use rhetoric to search for universal truth, which will influence others for the better.

  5. The Rhetorical Tradition • Aristotle:speakers should learn persuasion skills so they can defend truth and justice. • Cicero (Roman): speakers should use rhetoric for the public good. Goals of speech: to inform, persuade, and entertain

  6. Types of Rhetoric: Epidiectic • Ceremonial • Purpose: to praise or blame • Reaffirms and reflects cultural values • Arouses action/feeling in the audience

  7. Types of Rhetoric: Deliberative • Future-oriented • Purpose: deliberate/argue and decide what a society should do • Deeply connected to democracy and the public sphere

  8. The Public Sphere • Where deliberative discussions and decision-making occurs • Can be exclusionary; some voices are not heard as often • Counter-publics:groups/messages that come from outside the mainstream institutions and insert themselves into the public sphere, usually via protest or critique

  9. Counter-publics What are some other examples of counter-publics?How do counter-publics use rhetoric to prompt social change? Emma SulkowiczMattress Performance: Carry That Weight

  10. Types of Rhetoric: Forensic • Past-oriented • Purpose: to accuse or defend • Goal: to set things right after an injustice has occurred • Connected to the law/judicial process

  11. Becoming a Rhetorical Critic • Rhetorical Texts: anything that has been designed with a message meant to influence or persuade • Rhetorical Critic: an informed consumer of rhetorical discourse who critically analyzes rhetorical “texts”

  12. Becoming a Rhetorical Critic Rhetorical Critics: • Analyze the “rhetorical situation” • Ask: • How does this message reinforce or challenge the status quo? • Is it persuasive? Why/how? • How can my analysis prompt social change?

  13. ”The Rhetorical Situation” the template for analyzing (or creating) rhetorical texts AUDIENCE PURPOSE RHETOR/SPEAKER MESSAGE CULTURE/CONTEXT

  14. Artistic Proofs • Ethos, pathos, and logos • The means through which a rhetor crafts a persuasive message • Ethos: appeals to character, credibility, or social position • Pathos: appeals to emotion • Logos: appeals to reasoning, sound argumentation

  15. Effective & Ethical Rhetors • To be effective: • Use the best evidence available • Adapt your message to the audience, culture, and context • Use the artistic proofs together • To be ethical: • Be aware of the terms and examples you use • Be sensitive to the culture you’re speaking to • Don’t use rhetorical strategies to bend the truth

  16. Effective & Ethical Rhetorical Critics • To be effective: • Pay attention! • Analyze the full rhetorical situation& artistic proofs • Use your analysis to prompt social change • To be ethical: • Fairly assess what you see/hear • Be willing to change your mind • Speak up if the rhetor uses false information or dehumanizes others

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