ENG 1450 - THE ARTS OF PERSUASIONIN DAILY LIFE

credits: 3.0
Crosslisted/Same As: LAL 1450
Crosslisted/Same As (2): PHR 1450
ENG 1450-LAL 1450-PHR 1450. When many people hear the word rhetoric, they think of politicians manipulating the public. While that is one use of the word, the term rhetoric has many other meanings. In this class, students will understand rhetoric as the arts of persuasion. Everyone uses rhetorical persuasion in daily life. The texts people send, the clothes people wear, the way people talk, even the food that people eat are all persuasive in some way signal who you are to the world and indicate how you want others to interact with you. Students understand the role of persuasion in daily life by tracing the long, fascinating, and largely misunderstood history of rhetorical theory. Studies will begin in Ancient Greece, where Plato famously dismissed rhetoric as a serious topic, comparing it to cosmetics and cooking; as the course progresses, will examine how this once-ridiculed art developed and grew in importance as changing dynamics called upon citizens to learn eloquence, style, and argumentation to speak with, and sometimes for, others. Students will work both chronologically and thematically, looking at key themes and debates that emerged throughout history including: the relationship of rhetoric to philosophical truth, the role of schools in teaching rhetorical arts, the role of rhetoric in public affairs, and the role of rhetoric in legitimizing cultural identities. Will end in the contemporary period, where scholars recognize rhetoric and persuasion to be as omnipresent as the air we breathe. Students will also look at how diverse cultural groups (Chicanx, indigenous, LGBTQ, and more) challenge the conventional histories of rhetorical theory to reclaim their own traditions. Throughout the course, students will focus on understanding basic concepts of rhetorical theory, applying rhetorical ideas to contemporary situations, and critically reading primary and secondary documents. Objectives: A) Compare different historical and cultural definitions of persuasion and rhetoric; B) Compose all the steps of the classical; C) Evaluate key debates in rhetorical history; D) Analyze and interpret rhetorical situations using multiple theoretical perspectives; E) Relate contemporary rhetorical scholarship to historical theories. Method of Instruction: Lecture and discussion. Method of Evaluation: Short weekly writings (30%), Reading quizzes (30%), Progymnasmata composition project (20%), and Contemporary rhetoric’s essay (20%). Meets *WEP Distribution Requirement.