FYSM 203 - Arguing in Public:Rhetoric and Debate in the 2004 Election

Institution:

Trinity College

Subject:

Description:

George Orwell called political language "the defense of the indefensible," and yet democracies need a lively public culture of argument and debate in order to come to terms with complex issues, define values, make decisions, and solve problems. This seminar will focus on the final months of the 2004 United States Presidential Election. We will follow the campaign "horse race" on a week-by-week basis and explore the public issues generated by the candidates, parties, media commentators, and citizen groups. Topics will include the arts of political persuasion and influence, activism and advocacy, the language and images of war, the role of journalists, and the dynamics of mass media and the Internet. In the classroom, writing and debate will be used as tools for understanding our subject, with a focus on learning how to analyze arguments, respond to the arguments of others, and use argumentation ethically and effectively in the deliberative process. We will read some classic political fiction and view video clips of political advertisements, speeches, and debates. This Seminar will be part of the Intercollegiate E-Democracy Project, a non-partisan grassroots collaborative for teachers and students interested in civic literacy and politics online. For Fall 2004, hundreds of college and university students across the United States will be connected with our seminar and other classes at Trinity via a multi-class online network. Students will have an opportunity to participate in electronic discussions with peers nationwide as they discuss current social, cultural, and political issues. Beverly Wall is an associate professor and director of the Allan K. Smith Center for Writing and Rhetoric. She has served as a commentator on American public dialogue for C-SPAN's Washington Journal, Reuters, BBC Radio London, and NPR's The Connection. Her teaching and research interests include the art of argument, teaching writing with new technologies, and the intersection of rhetoric and democracy in the age of the Internet. 1.00 units, Seminar

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.Trincoll.edu

Phone Number:

(860) 297-2000

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Semester

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