CIS 605 Cultural, Critical, and Rhetorical Theory

Spring 2006 -- 2-4:30 Wednesdays

This is a Ph.D. core requirement for students specializing in Cultural, Critical, and Rhetorical Studies. It also may serve as a core course for students pursuing the Master of Arts Degree in Communication Studies. The course is a survey of the development of theory development in these areas.

Ernst Cassierer claims that "It was a turning point in Greek culture and Greek thought when Plato interpreted the maxim 'Know thyself' in an entirely new sense. . . . [Human beings are] to be studied not in [their] individual life but in [their] political and social life" (An Essay on Man: An Introduction to a Philosophy of Human Culture, 63).

Accordingly, this seminar makes two basic assumptions. First, knowledge of human communication is fundamental to all study of communication. Second, we come to understand human communication by studying critically the work it does, in its various symbolic forms, as it seeks to influence the socio-political context in which it occurs.

Objectives

This seminar aims to explore the intersection of theoretical tenets from contemporary rhetorical theory, critical theory, and cultural studies for understanding human communication. Specifically, the course aims to acquaint students with key theoretical perspectives held by scholars within the field of Communication Studies for understanding public discourse in its various forms.