Engl 794 / Spch 794: Contemporary Rhetorical Theory Syllabus and Schedule, Fall 2012

Transcription

1 Engl 794 / Spch 794: Contemporary Rhetorical Theory Syllabus and Schedule, Fall 2012 Pat J. Gehrke PJG@PatGehrke.net 306 Welsh Humanities Center Course Description: Simply put, there is no way we can cover the scope of rhetorical theory in the twentieth century, much less the whole of our current epoch. What we can do, however, is get something of a feel, a sense, a taste, or a whiff of rhetorical theory by exploring some of the most commonly recurring themes and thinkers of the past hundred years as well as the problems and persons that continue to push us into this still-new century. Thus, the goals of this class are less about coverage and more about exposure. Our goals are decidedly not about making sure you have read the canon of rhetorical theory or know all the major theories and thinkers. That would simply be impossible and attempting such in a semester seminar would be counter-productive. Instead, our goals are to develop a taste and build a capacity: a taste for this theory as a way of engaging and enjoying rhetorical studies; a capacity for reading, speaking, and writing in a way that enacts that engagement and enjoyment. By the end of the course my hope is that you are significantly more adept in reading and discussing contemporary rhetorical theory and have a genuine interest and desire to do so without the structure of a class. Course Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to Read and work independently with texts in contemporary rhetorical theory. Demonstrate an understanding of the major rhetorical theories of the contemporary era. Engage in nuanced discussions of contemporary rhetorical theory, grounded in readings of key texts from the past two centuries. Write meaningful analysis of and compelling arguments about current themes and debates in rhetorical theory. Office Hours & Meetings: I strongly recommend you make an appointment in advance. You can request an appointment by going to and choosing any times listed as available. That calendar lists all available times to meet. If a time is not available on that calendar, then it means I am busy and cannot meet at that time. You may always find me in the office 2:30-3:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but those with appointments will take priority over drop-ins. Blackboard Online Course Resources: To access the USC Blackboard system, simply point your web browser to and log in with your USC user ID and password. We will all need to make frequent use of the USC Blackboard online system during this class. Please log in to BlackBoard and update your address in your profile as soon as you can. I will rely upon this system to make contact with you in cases of unplanned cancellations or any updates or other communications. If you have never used the system before, I strongly encourage you to play with it some. 794: Contemporary Rhetorical Theory, p. 1

2 Assignments: Weekly Posts: 20% Please post your responses to the readings in our BlackBoard forum by noon on the Sunday before class each week that we have readings. There are thirteen days of readings, but I will only count your ten best posts toward your grade. I strongly encourage you to post more than ten times, but you may skip a week when other major items are due or you are otherwise impeded from posting. Annotated Bibliography and Presentation: 20% Beginning with the week of October 8, each week one or two students enrolled in this course will produce an annotated bibliography of articles from rhetoric journals on that week's theme or topic (not on a proper name or thinker) and distribute it to the course. Bibliographies should include at least six sources from rhetoric journals other than those assigned as course reading, along with a short annotation for each article. Please send this to me as an attachment (pdf preferred) no later than noon on the day of class we will cover the topic. In class, I will ask you to provide a brief summary of the major themes or trends you found in the journal articles on this topic; please do not read your bibliography or go item by item, but instead speak for just a couple minutes more generally about the work done in the field. I will post the bibliographies to BlackBoard in the days following our class discussion. Paper Proposal: 10% Submit a prospectus detailing your final paper project, including major sources you intend to consult, an explanation of what you hope to achieve with the essay, and a general plan for completing the project. Proposals should include the following: An explanation of your project, its focus, scope, and central questions (2 pages). A justification of the importance or utility of your proposed project in relation to rhetorical studies (1 page). A description of how you propose to undertake the project, including major sources, object(s) of analysis, method or approach, etc. (1 page). A bibliography of the existing literature you believe will be most useful to this project (2 pages). This should include literature that situates your project in relation to recent works published in rhetoric journals. Please send this to me as an attachment (pdf preferred) no later than 6pm on Tuesday, November 13. If you have not heard back from me before class the following week, please follow-up. Final Paper: 50% The final paper should be no less than 5,000 words and no more than 9,000 words. Topics should be connected to issues or questions of rhetorical theory, as approached from the rhetorical tradition, but need not focus on specific theories or topics discussed in class. You will have wide latitude in range of topics and objectives for the paper as long as you can clearly locate the project in relation to a recent conversation within the field of rhetoric. Voice and style should be appropriate to the standards demonstrated in our academic journals (such as JAC, Rhetorica, Philosophy and Rhetoric, Communication Theory, Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, Rhetoric Society Quarterly, etc.). Please conform to either the Chicago Manual of Style or the Modern Language Association handbook. Please send this to me as an attachment (pdf preferred) no later than Sunday, December 16 (must be received before 7 am on the 17th). All papers must be submitted via ; I will not accept paper submissions. 794: Contemporary Rhetorical Theory, p. 2

3 Evaluation & Grading: Since this is a graduate course, we should demonstrate commitment and care that is well above normal undergraduate performance. All writing should conform to the Modern Language Association Handbook for Writers of Research Papers or the Chicago Manual of Style. Grading Scale: 90% : A 70%-76% : C 87%-89% : B+ 67%-69% : D+ 80%-86% : B 60%-66% : D 77%-79% : C+ 59% : F Statements on Accommodation & Non-Discrimination: University of South Carolina Policy EOP 1.04 states: The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions on the basis of personal characteristics that are not relevant to an individual's abilities, qualifications, or job performance. Under federal and state law, these characteristics include age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, and disability status. It is the policy of the University that an individual's sexual orientation be treated in the same manner. In keeping with the University of South Carolina s commitment to non-discrimination and providing program accessibility for qualified students with disabilities, instructors in this course are happy to provide reasonable accommodation through the Student Disability Services office. Students wishing to make such arrangements should contact the Student Disability Services office at COURSE SCHEDULE August 27 Introduction & Disciplinary History September 3 No Class: Labor Day. September 10 Signification Saussure, Course in General Linguistics, pp , ; Ogden & Richards The Meaning of Meaning, pp. 1-76; Derrida selections from Of Grammatology and Differance (from Derrida reader); Barnouw, Peirce and Derrida. Bibliography preference sheets due in class. Assignments will be announced by on Tuesday. September 17 Speech-Acts Austin, How to do Things with Words, pp ; Derrida, Limited Inc, pp. 1-23; Searle, Reiterating the Differences. 794: Contemporary Rhetorical Theory, p. 3

4 September 24 History Foucault, Archaeology of Knowledge, pp ; Foucault, On the Ways of Writing History; Foucault, Nietzsche, Genealogy, History; Deleuze, Foucault, pp. 1-22, October 1: Power Bourdieu, Language and Symbolic Power, pp ; Foucault, Preface to Transgression; Foucault, The Ethic of the Care of the Self; Deleuze, Foucault, pp ; Rufo, Rhetoric and Power; Aune, The Scholastic Fallacy. October 8: Subjectivity & Agency Foucault, Truth and Juridical Forms; Foucault, An Aesthetics of Existence; Foucault, Technologies of the Self; Foucault, Structuralism and Post-Structuralism; Lundberg and Gunn, 'Ouija Board, Are There Any Communications? Bibliography Presentations Begin October 15 Publics & Spheres Habermas, Moral Consciousness and Communicative Action, pp ; Fraser, "Rethinking the Public Sphere;" Ono & Sloop, Vernacular Rhetoric; Hauser, Vernacular Voices, pp. 1-36; Aune, Rhetoric and Marxism, pp ; Asen, Discourse Theory of Citizenship. October 22 Community & Politics Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit, ; Nancy, Inoperative Community, pp. 1-42; Ranciere, Shores of Politics, pp ; Nancy, Creation of the World, pp ; Murphet, Postmodernism and Space. October 29 Dialogue, Alterity, & Ethics Levinas, Ethics and Infinity, pp.tba; Levinas, The Paradox of Morality; Lingis, Translator s Introduction to Otherwise than Being; Davis, Inessential Solidarity, pp : Contemporary Rhetorical Theory, p. 4

5 November 5: Gender & Sexuality Butler, Gender Trouble, pp. vii-44; Sloop, Disciplining Gender, pp. 1-24, 50-82; Morris, My Old Kentucky Homo; Ferber, Culture of Privilege. November 12: Class, Labor, and Economy Horkheimer & Adorno, Dialectic of Enlightenment, pp Aune, Rhetoric and Marxism, pp. ix-115, Lanham, Economics of Attention, pp Paper proposals due by 6pm on Tuesday, November 13. November 19: Violence Burgess, Rhetoric of Black Power; Scott & Smith, Justifying Violence; Cover, Violence and the Word; delauretis, The Violence of Rhetoric; DuBois, Violence, Apathy, and the Rhetoric of Philosophy; Hunter, Considering Issues of Rhetoric and Violence; Zizek, Violence, pp. 1-39; November 26: Affect Gross, The Secret History of Emotion, pp. 1-20; Massumi, Translator's Foreword and Notes to Thousand Plateaus, pp. ix-xix; Deleuze & Guattari, Thousand Plateaus, pp ; Massumi, Parables for the Virtual, pp ; Edbauer, Unframing Models of Public Distribution; Murray, Non-Discursive Rhetoric, pp December 3: Unconscious, Fantasy, and the Symbolic Lacan, My Teaching, pp. 3-49, ; Badiou, Theory of the Subject, pp. vii-xxxvii; ; Gunn, Refitting Fantasy. Final Paper Due: Sunday, December 16 (must be received before 7 am on the 17th). All papers must be submitted via ; I will not accept paper submissions. I strongly prefer PDF format. 794: Contemporary Rhetorical Theory, p. 5