Professor Perelman, University of Belgium, rectifies false impressions of his ideas, explains certain errors in the "new rhetoric," and critically responds to several scholar-teachers who have used his ideas in this country. (PD)

Shows how newspaper columnist Goodman's sermonic rhetoric is rooted in comparison. Examines examples of her editorials to explore their epistemic function and their force as argument and as symbolic action. (PD)

Examines the rhetorical role of several twentieth century historians who were opinion leaders on behalf of the American way of achieving success: by emulating the earlier qualities of our frontier and founding fathers. Discusses the role of Frederick Turner Jackson, Charles A. Beard, Carl Becker, Allan Nevins, and others. (PD)

Argues that the news media actively promoted presidential debates, sought to establish expectations, and then became active critics. Concludes that presidential skills were seen as more important than message content. Notes that the current format does not enlarge public understanding and suggests a Lincoln-Douglas format in the future. (PD)

To meet the Nazi Party's need for speakers, Fritz Reinhardt began a correspondence course in public speaking in 1928 which trained about 6,000 speakers by 1933. This essay examines the techniques Reinhardt used and the contributions his instructions made to the development of the Nazi meetings and Hitler's takeover. (PD)

Discusses President Carter's televised address on the Panama Canal Treaties in terms of five "topoi" for a rhetoric of retreat: timeliness, urgency, value, advantage, and shrewdness. Compares his failure to employ the commonsense arguments that a policy of retreat requires in the televised speech with his more successful impromptu…

Explicates and evaluates essential features of Habermas' theory of communication and indicates ties between his concepts and the work of several speech communication scholars. The theory has important implications for argumentation scholars, contemporary rhetorical theorists, and students of human interaction processes. (JMF)

Examines the metaphoric networks created by a presidential hopeful and a pope. Argues that what is significant about the rhetoric of each is not the recurrence of a single metaphor but rather the appearance of clusters of related metaphors which reveal the rhetor's projected relationship with his audience. (JMF)

Argues that changes in the form and frequency of preaching in England between 1534 and 1559 were as much the result of political and ecclesiastical struggles as they were of formal developments in rhetorical or homiletical theory. (JMF)

Discusses the growing division between history and criticism in the study of public address. Reassesses the relationship between history and criticism with respect to intrinsic and extrinsic analysis, the role of evaluation in rhetorical scholarship, and the nature of critical and historical method. (JMF)

Explores the nature of rhetorical rituals and their contribution in sometimes maintaining social stability and in other times creating revolution. Analyzes examples of rhetorical rituals in public discourse, such as inaugural addresses, eulogies, and inspirational addresses. (PD)

Develops a theory of strategic, political silence which directs public attribution of predictable meanings towards political leaders who unexpectedly refuse to speak in public. The meanings are mystery, uncertainty, passivity, and relinquishment. Illustrates the theory with a criticism of President Carter's silence in July 1979. (JMF)

Examines two major recurring, but paradoxical, fantasies in the rhetoric of social scientists' descriptions of homosexuals: the "homosexual as degenerate," and "mainstreaming the homosexual." Proposes the use of the word "gay" and its referents as a substitute research base for examining social and cultural meanings of same-sex relations. (JMF)

Clarifies problems concerning the nature and scope of rhetoric, including its relation to human knowledge, by viewing rhetorical methods as universal, rule-governed, and productive of knowledge having normative force. Knowledge is conceptualized as developing within a social-symbolic sphere of methods, subject matters, derivations, applications,…