As Arabella Lyon argues in her book, Deliberative Acts, Democracy, Rhetoric, and Rights, theorists of radical democracy routinely acknowledge the rhetorical dimension of politics, but they sometimes fail to offer a practical description of how deliberation actually functions in the service of democratic norms. Following Lyon, we will study the rhetorical strategies involved in coining new political vocabularies, advocating for new rights, articulating injustice, and fostering the recognition of previously unrecognized categories of identity.
Note: This is an SNF Paideia designated writing seminar, designed to examine and encourage dialogue across differences. Students and faculty participating in the SNF Paideia writing seminar cluster will have an opportunity to meet once a month for dinner, dialogue, and a keynote speaker or facilitator, as well as engage in other cross seminar community building activities. SNF Paideia designated courses are noted on student transcripts.