WRTG 4950 - Social Histories of Rhetoric

Social histories of rhetoric focuses on non-Eurocentric rhetoric and discursive practices, as situated in space, time, social geographies, and everyday lived realities. This course examines not the essence of rhetoric or a system of rhetoric, but rather, attends critically to the socio-cultural exigencies that enable rhetorical activity. Attentive to the question, what do people do in and with rhetoric, we will pursue three lines of inquiry: (1) under what circumstances are rhetorical practices employed and utilized by communities? (2) what rhetorical options are available to communities to express and assert themselves and how is transmission of rhetorical practices facilitated? (3) how does rhetoric reach, if at all, its intended audience, and towards what possibilities does it do so? WRTG 4950 focuses on varying topics based on faculty expertise. Prior to taking this class, Writing & Rhetoric Studies majors are strongly encouraged to take WRTG 3875. Non-majors should consider taking an upper-division theory course in their program prior to taking this class.