WRT 315 Civic Rhetoric and Writing

Fall or Spring

Rhetoric plays a central role in civic life. In a deliberative democracy, the ability to hold forth in civic and professional contexts is a crucial aspect of citizenry. Rhetoric is imperative for defining community and national identity, developing and advocating for solutions to public problems, and addressing areas of disagreement. Thus, this interdisciplinary course will explore how rhetoric relates to politics, culture, media and social knowledge in order to understand the role of rhetoric in contemporary society and public life. Along with rhetorical analyses of various public texts, this course will involve several genres meant for civic discourse especially: op-eds, open letters, letters to editors, letters to public officials, white papers, mission statements, etc. Prerequisite: FCO 105.

3 credit hours