Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Contemporary Rhetoric III: Texts, Power, and Alternatives

Overview of Contemporary Rhetoric

  • Everyday language is not neutral (Jacques Derrida).

  • History of rhetoric has been shaped mostly by men (Karlyn Kohrs Campbell).

  • The 20th century saw important changes focusing on language, culture, and power.

  • Key theorists include Ferdinand de Saussure, Claude Lévi-Strauss, Jacques Lacan, Michel Foucault, and Jacques Derrida.

Postmodernism and Rhetoric

Definition and Context

  • Postmodernism pushes back against Enlightenment ideas that value reason and fixed meanings.

  • Important Enlightenment thinkers include Voltaire, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and Mary Wollstonecraft.

  • Postmodernism questions the big stories of history and the fixed meanings in texts.

Key Thinkers

  • Friedrich Nietzsche: Criticized big stories and highlighted social ideas about morality.

  • Jean-François Lyotard: Introduced the idea of 'metanarratives', encouraging smaller local stories to understand reality. Thought searching for a single truth is pointless.

  • Claude Lévi-Strauss: Founder of Structuralism; he believed that myths reveal universal human thoughts.

  • Michel Foucault: Explored how power, knowledge, and communication are connected. He argued that power is not fixed, but shaped by language. Created the idea of discourse to explain how language influences understanding and defines reality. Analyzed society's rules about what can be said through his 'Archaeology of Knowledge'.

Feminist Rhetorical Theory

Overview

  • Critiques the male-dominated history of rhetoric and pushes for women’s perspectives to be included.

  • Scholars like Gesa Kerscher, Jacqueline Royster, and Sonja Foss lead this movement.

Challenges Raised

  • Language as Gendered: Men control language, making it harder for women's voices to be heard.

  • Muted Group Theory: Women’s voices are often silenced (Cheris Kramarae, 1981).

Key Contributions and New Directions

  • Sally Miller Gearhart: Argued that traditional rhetoric is harmful and called for communication that is nurturing rather than persuasive.

  • Sonja Foss & Cindy Griffin: Suggested 'Invitational Rhetoric', which seeks mutual understanding instead of persuasion, focusing on equality in communication.

Comparative Rhetoric

Expanding the Concept

  • Rhetoric is seen as complex and different across cultures, not just based on the Western perspective.

  • Looks at rhetoric from non-Western traditions, bringing in diverse forms and practices.

Case Studies

  • Ancient Indian Rhetoric: Focused on logical arguments (Nyaya), differing from Western ideas.

  • African Rhetorical Forms: Emphasized shared ownership of stories.

  • Rhetoric in Ancient China: Focused more on private advice than public speaking.

  • Averroes and Arabic Rhetoric: Combined Greek rhetorical ideas with Arabic culture.

Conclusion

The study of modern rhetoric highlights how power affects communication, challenges traditional male-centered views, and promotes understanding of various rhetorical practices around the world.