Rhetoric & Democracy: Pedagogical and Political Practices

From the Declaration of Independence to the Gettysburg Address, from Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s ‘Day of Infamy’ speech to John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, it is no exaggeration to suggest that the ongoing American democratic revolution has been nourished by a rhetorical revolution of similar magnitude. The pioneering rhetorical scholar William Norwood Brigance noted in the early 1940s that American history has been driven by the power of rhetoric. Rhetoric and Democracy examines the complex relationship between rhetoric and democracy by demonstrating how rhetorical pedagogy, rhetorical practice, and rhetorical analysis support the creation of useful discourse among citizens.This book will be particularly valuable to students and scholars of rhetoric, especially in considering the birth, growth, and future of the discipline. Yet because it avoids excessive disciplinary jargon, the volume will prove useful to anyone who is interested in better understanding the indispensable role of rhetoric in democracy.