CoursesRhetoric and the Community
CLST 3801-301

Rhetoric and the Community

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:45 pm-3:14 pm

Rhetoric and the Community is a class designed to improve the quality of students’ speaking abilities. Through debates, impromptu speeches and various other types of oral reports, students develop their skills as speakers. The emphasis here is on practical advice, constant positive criticism and an active exploration of the art of oratory. We will emphasize the role of effective oral communication in contributing to a higher level of engagement and discourse in the community. This class will particularly help those planning careers in advocacy, public service, teaching and other areas where confident, thoughtful, and articulate communication are important.

Instructor(s)
  • Jeremy McInerney
Semester

Spring 2024

Register
Related Content

Other Courses of Interest

COGS 4001

The Cognitive Science of Conversation

Instructor(s)

  • Nora Bradford

Semester

Spring 2027

What makes a conversation “good”? How do we achieve the feeling of being “on the same page” with an interlocutor? This course explores the neurological and cognitive underpinnings of effective communication, equipping students with the scientific knowledge necessary to foster constructive dialogue. 

 

Learn More
BENF 2240

The Crisis of Expertise

Instructor(s)

  • Tal Arbel

Semester

Spring 2027

In recent years, there has been intensive talk about a “crisis of expertise” unfolding in liberal-democratic societies. Along with suspicion toward established facts and institutional findings, techno-scientific experts – academic researchers, medical doctors, engineers, public health specialists – are widely seen as detached elites whose impartiality is questionable, and motivations can no longer be trusted. This concerning shift in public attitudes, the argument goes, has boosted the popularity of unverified and unregulated sources of knowledge (traditional healing practices, the wellness industry, social media influencers, self-tracking), and given rise to a dangerous “do your own research” (DYOR) culture that impedes our collective ability to distinguish sound advice from misinformation.

Learn More