Throughout its long and storied history, the discipline of rhetoric has documented the power of the spoken and written word. Of late, however, we are being reminded about the rhetorical significance of visual images--that pictures, videos, and other visual works also are part of what Aristotle called the "available means of persuasion."…

Identifies five features of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that may account for its deep universal appeal. Suggests the memorial's effectiveness may recommend it as a model for contemporary anti-war rhetoric. (MS)

Presents basic research on the concept of rhetorical coherence, analyzing an actual welfare interview emersed in controversy. Suggests a pentad of criteria necessary for the achievement of rhetorical coherence. (SR)

Argues that (1) Chaim Perelman's philosophy and the New Rhetoric project reflect his Jewish heritage and Talmudic habits of argument; and (2) because Perelmanian philosophy enacts Jewish and Talmudic thought, the New Rhetoric charts a "third way" between Enlightenment metaphysics and the more extreme expressions of postmodernism,…

Describes a meta-analysis comparing the persuasiveness of one-sided and two-sided messages. Demonstrates that a two-sided message with refutation is more persuasive than a one-sided message, whereas a one-sided message is more persuasive than a two-sided message without refutation. (SR)

Argues that the function of medicine as an art and as a social institution is impeded when the rhetorical nature of its practice is ignored. Offers a case study of two texts widely cited as landmarks in the physician-assisted suicide debate of the 1990s, examining their rhetorical organization and its impact on their reception. (SR)

A reply to "Beyond Rhetorical Relativism," a 1982 article written by E. Croasmun and R. A. Cherwitz, this paper suggests that that article suffers from a poor choice and unclear usage of language, a weak line of argument, and a faulty conceptualization of the issues. The first section of the paper reviews the arguments presented by…

Considers the way in which recent apocalyptic religious discourse motivates actions and attitudes toward secular issues by appealing to sacred texts. Traces one such strategy, termed "transfer." (SR)

The essays contained in this volume are attempts not merely to inventory recent developments and disputes in the field of argumentation but also to sharpen them by carrying them as far as current thinking permits. The 16 essays, which show that argumentation scholars are still far from united around a single theory, are divided into four sections.…

Explores the diverse forms and motives of the conversational frame in public address. Argues that, by framing their remarks and transactions with their listeners as conversational, orators may attempt to reconstruct or seem to reconstruct speaker-audience relationships and to position themselves and their audiences within networks of reciprocal…

Discusses Theodore Weld's "American Slavery As It Is," the largest selling antislavery text prior to "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Argues that it signaled a key moment in the abolitionist's efforts to represent slavery. Maintains that it helped to set in place a vocabulary of images that has implications for race relations today. (SR)

In the past, rhetorical criticism relied heavily on an Aristotelian approach; critics judged a speech by how well it fulfilled the speaker's purpose and persuasion was the accepted goal of rhetoric. Political and academic forces have brought about a methodological perspectivism or pluralism of rhetorical theory, and in turn, caused a shift from…

Examines arguments used in three United Nations Security Council debates which contradict the conclusion that different nations use different argumentative forms and think differently. Finds that the nature of data and the relative emphasis on principle as a negotiating strategy were more characteristic factors. (MS)

Examines Students for a Democratic Society's recruitment efforts through public, mass, and interpersonal communication channels. Concludes that scholars investigating movements should look beyond public and mass communication if they seek a general theory of the rhetoric of movements. (SR)

This paper considers discourse models of knowledge and use and social problem solving that revive the tradition of dialectical reasoning (the broader term) or rhetoric, i.e., the art of using language, in speaking or writing, to convince others that something is true, right, or better. Discourse models of knowledge use allow taking the…