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Class Number 16259
COMM 3405, Aristotle to Twitter, Lecture 3.0 Spring, 2013
Instructor:
Phone
e-mail:
Dr. Marouf Hasian, Jr., office 2421 LNCO
(801) 581-8451
Marouf.Hasian@utah.edu
Instructor:
Email:
Elliott Sawyer, office 2930 LNCO
elliott.sawyer@utah.edu
Lectures meet:
Monday/Wednesdays, 8:05am-9:25am, LNCO 1100
Office Hours:
Hasian: Monday/Wednesdays, 9:30am-10:20am, LNCO 2421
Sawyer: Office Hours: Thursdays 12-2:30 or by appointment.
Course Objectives:
The purpose of this class is to provide students with a broad historical and contextual
overview of some of the key concepts that have informed the ways that various generations have
written and talked about the usage of various rhetorical strategies across communicative mediums.
The course begins with a general explanation of the key philosophical debates about truth, power,
and knowledge that have been around since the time of Aristotle and ends with a review of how a
host of legal, economic, social, cultural, and political landscapes have been shaped by Twitter and
other forms of social media.
Required Texts and materials:
Textbook: Brummett, B. (2011). Rhetoric in popular culture, Third edition. Los Angeles.
[herein RPC].
Class list of pdf readings. These are listed on the required readings list at the end of this
syllabus. The University of Utah is a PAC-12, Research One University, and you should be able to
locate and find these readings on your own. Learning how to find, and learning how to use, prior
published research should be skills that you pick up at a major university that helps you put together
what might be called your communication “toolkit.” We expect you to make a good faith effort to
find these readings, and the vast majority of the assigned pdf readings can either be found on the
World Wide Web or they can be located in one of the Marriott library data bases. For example, you
want to check the Ebsco, Project Muse, and Google Scholar data bases for these readings. Begin
by making a good faith effort and at least try on your own to find these essays, and if you
run into any trouble finding any one of these essays, e-mail one of us, or talk to one of us
ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE OF DISCUSSING that particular reading and we will be glad
to provide you with a pdf copy of any of the readings that you have trouble locating.
Given the continued relevance of rhetorical studies, occasionally something will happen in
some part of the world, or some new essay on a key topic will be published, and we will add that
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material to the assigned readings list of pdfs. We will do my best to provide students with at
LEAST ONE WEEK’S NOTICE before covering these additional materials.
Registrar=s message: The Registrar cautions you that withdrawing from a course and other
matters of registration are the student=s responsibility.
University Message: The University of Utah=s Department of Communication seeks to provide
equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need
accommodations in this class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the instructor and to the
Center for Disabilities Services (CDS), 162 Olpin Union Bldg, 581-5020 (V/TDD) to make
arrangements for accommodations (see http://www.sa.utah.edu/ds). CDS will work with you and
the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. Please contact the instructor of this
course at the beginning of the term to discuss any such accommodations for this course.
Attendance: You are responsible for EVERYTHING that is either discussed in class or that is
covered in your assigned readings. Many lectures that are presented during class will cover material
that is not in your text, and you will find that much of the assigned reading material is difficult to
understand if you have not attended class or if have not kept up with the readings. When in class,
ALWAYS feel free to ask us any questions about the material that is being covered.
Responsibility: All written assignments are due at the beginning of the class period, or they will be
considered late. As a general rule, the student will lose 10 points (out of a 100 point scale for
that particular assignment) for each calendar day that the paper assignment comes in late.
This includes Saturdays and Sundays. This applies to ALL of the papers or assignments that will be
graded in this class.
NOTE: Always turn in TWO copies of each graded essay assignment to the instructor.
Academic Honesty and Plagiarism: Plagiarism or academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. All
your work should be original, meaning that any work that you do for this course is expected to be
your own. Do not turn in work for this class that you have turned in for other classes. You
do not have our permission to use any graded assignments in this class for assignments in any other
class. For example, do not turn in the same case brief that you may have written for an
argumentation class.
Any quotations or paraphrasing of other sources must be cited either within the text or in
endnotes or footnotes. Give credit where credit is due. Understanding the role of argumentation in
today's society means involves an appreciation of the importance of establishing credibility and
defending your own positions. Plagiarism can lead to an E on the assignment, an E in the course,
and other disciplinary action. If you are unsure as to what constitutes plagiarism or how to properly
acknowledge source materials, consult me.
Grading: Your grade this semester will be determined by the average of the scores that you receive
on THREE performances—a case brief, a midterm, and a final. Each of these assignments will be
graded on a 100 point scale so you can easily keep track of your average.
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Let us briefly discuss each of these graded performances or assignments:
1. Goals of the 3 page case brief. (worth 20 percent of your grade, due by beginning of class,
January 30). This research assignment requires the student to investigate some major theoretical,
methodological, and/or critical issue in rhetorical studies so that the student can craft a 3 page,
propositional “case brief” outline for some major affirmative change in the status quo. Students are
expected to be able to illustrate their understanding of the concepts of topicality, significance, harm,
inherency, and solvency as they prepare this full sentence, policy, case brief outline.
2. Mid-term examination (worth 40% of your final grade, to be taken on February 20). The
midterm will cover all of the class material and assigned readings that have been covered up until the
time of the midterm. Oftentimes these midterms will include multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and
short answer questions.
3. Final examination (worth 40% of your final grade, to be taken on monday, April 29, 2013,
8:00am-10:00a). Although most of the questions on the final exam are meant to cover the material
that we go over since midterm, there will be some overlap and this will be a cumulative examination.
It will have the same format as the mid-term examination.
Grading scale:
93-100
89-92
86-88
82-85
79-81
76-78
72-75
69-71
66-68
62-65
59-61
Below 59
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DE
Any problems meeting assignment deadlines or test dates must be resolved PRIOR to the
particular deadline or date. Changes/make-ups are at the sole discretion of the instructors.
Classroom Pedagogy and behavior:
In our discussions of rhetorical issues from the time of Aristotle until today, we will
sometimes be discussing some fairly complex topics and questions. One of the key code words in
all of our classes involves the notion of "civility." This includes the expectation that when students
disagree with each other in class, they can publicly disagree and still maintain respect for each other.
We will be covering a lot of controversial topics, but we feel confident that we can maintain an
atmosphere that allows for freedom of expression while at the same time avoiding personal insults
and confrontations. Please treat your fellow students as you would like to be treated.
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TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE
[Note: the READING dates that you see below indicate THE DAY THAT WE WILL
DISCUSS those readings, so read the materials BEFORE the designated reading dates.]
Week 1
Monday, January 7
Introduction to the class, explanatory information on the syllabus.
What do we mean when we use the terms “rhetoric,” “Aristotle” and
“popular culture”?
Readings: pp. 1-13 in RPC and discussion of indexical, iconic, and
symbolic meanings.
Wednesday, January 9
Finish discussion of theoretical chapter 1, Rhetoric and Popular
Culture
Readings: pp. 13-34 in RPC; out-of-text reading, Katriel, “Rhetoric
in Flames”
Week 2
Taking an argumentation, case-based, policy approach to the study of
multiple texts
Monday, January 14
Learning the basics of how to build—and critique an “affirmative,”
policy case brief for change (topicality, significance, harm, inherency,
solvency, etc.)
Readings: out of text, Delicath and DeLuca, “Image Events . . . The
Case of Radical Environmental Groups”
Wednesday, January 16
Applied Case Study: Zero Dark Thirty and the Enhanced
Interrogation Techniques/Torture Debates
Readings: out of text, Greenwald, “Zero Dark Thirty: CIA
Hagiography”; Hayden, “Relax, ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ is only a movie”
Week 3
Monday, January 21
Wednesday, January 23
MLK, Jr. Day Holiday
Begin discussion of chapter 2 in RPC, Rhetoric and the Rhetorical
Tradition, pp. 35-54
Readings: out-of-text reading Krajewski, “Plato’s Counterfeit
Sophists”
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Week 4
Monday, January 28
yth of the rhetorical situation”
Wednesday, January 30
Finish discussion of chapter 2 in RPC, Rhetoric and the rhetorical
tradition, pp. 54-76
Readings: out-of text readings, Vatz, “The m
DUE DATE FOR GRADED CASE BRIEF (20% of your
grade)
Begin discussion of chapter 3 in RPC, Rhetorical Methods in Critical
Studies, focus on texts and contexts
Readings: material in Chapter 3 in RPC, Rhetorical Methods in
Critical Studies, pp. 77-114
Week 5
Monday, February 4
Finish Discussion of Chapter 3 in RPC, Rhetorical Methods in
Critical Studies
Readings: materials in Chapter 3 in RPC, Rhetorical Methods in
Critical Studies, pp. 114-144
Wednesday, February 6
Begin discussion of Chapter 4 in RPC, Varieties of Rhetorical
Criticism
Readings: focus on cultural criticism, pp. 145-155 in RPC; out of
text essay by McDorman, “History, Collective Memory . . . Dred
Scott Controversy”
Week 6
Monday, February 11
Continue discussion of Chapter 4 in RPC, Varieties of rhetorical
criticism, with a focus on Marxist criticism
Readings: Read material on Marxist criticism, pp. 155--166 in RPC;
out of text reading, Hazelkorn, “’Capital’ and the Irish Question”
Wednesday, February 13
Continue discussion of Chapter 4, Varieties of rhetorical criticism,
with a focus on visual rhetorical criticism
Readings: Materials in Chapter 4 of RPC on Visual Rhetorical
Criticism, 166-171; Ehrenhaus, “Why We Fought”
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Week 7
Monday, February 18
Presidents’ Day Holiday
Wednesday, February 20
MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Week 8th
Monday, February 25
Continue discussion of Chapter 4, Varieties of rhetorical criticism,
with a focus on Psychoanalytic Criticism
Readings: Materials in Chapter 4 of RPC on Psychoanalytic
Criticism, pp. 171-176; out of text essay by Terrill, “Put on a Happy
Face . . . Batman”
Wednesday, February 27
Week 9
Monday, March 4
Begin discussion of feminist criticism in chapter 5, Varieties of
Rhetorical Criticism, Part two.
Readings: Materials in Chapter 5 of RPC on Feminist Criticism, pp.
178-186
Continued discussion of materials in Chapter 5 on varieties of
rhetorical criticism, focus on dramatistic or Burkean approaches to
criticism
Readings in RPC, pp. 186-195 on dramatistic criticism; read out of
test essay, Desilet, “Nietzsche contra Burke”
Wednesday, March 6
Begin discussion of Media-Centered Criticism
Readings: In Chapter 5 of RPC, Varieties of Rhetorical Criticism,
Part Two, focus on media-centered criticism, pp. 196-209.
Week 10
Spring Break, Sunday-Sunday, March 10-17
Week 11
Beginning discussion of Critical Applications (More Case Studies) of
the previously mentioned theories and approaches
Monday, March 18
Case study: Paradoxes of Personalization, Race Relations in
Milwaukee
Readings: In Chapter 6 of RPC, 213-234, where Prof. Brummett
presents his Milwaukee study
Wednesday, March 20
Case Study: Music, Culture, and Critique
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Readings: In Chapter 7 of RPC, “On Gangsta Rap,” 235-245; out
of text essay by Foster, “The Rhetoric of Heavy Metal Resistance”
Week 12
Monday, March 25
Case Study: Cultural Criticism and Simulations
Readings: Chapter 8 of RPC, “Simulational Selves…….Groundhog
Day”
Wednesday, March 27
Continued discussion of Cultural Criticism and Simulacra
Readings: out of text, Zizek, “Welcome to the Desert of the Real”
Week 13
Celebrity advocacy in the 21st Century
Monday, April 1
Focus on Kony 2012 Controversy
Readings: out of text, Goodman and Preston, “How the Kony
Video Went Viral”; Waldorf, “White Noise: Hearing the Disaster”
Wednesday, April 3
Continued discussion of celebrity advocacy
Readings: Out of text, Bell, “A Delicious way to Save Lives”
Week 14
Praxis and the Application of Ideological Criticism
Monday, April 8
Ideological Criticism in Historical Contexts
Readings: Cloud, “The Null Persona”
Wednesday, April 10
Continued discussion of Ideological criticism, with a focus on
contemporary political, legal, economic, and social issues
Readings: Stahl, “Becoming Bombs: 3D Animated Satellite Imagery
and the Weaponization of the Civic Eye”
Week 15
Monday, April 15
Internet, democracy transparency
Readings: Morozov, “Whither Internet Control?”
Wednesday, April 17
Contemplating the limits of the internet, and governmental national
security --Focus on Wikileaks and Bradley Manning controversy
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Readings: Pieterse, “Leaking Superpower”
Week 16
Contemplating the Future Power of Social Media
Monday, April 22
Focus on Occupy Wall Street
Readings: DeLuca, Lawson, and Sun, “Occupy Wall Street on the
Public Screens of Social Media”
Wednesday, April 24
Review for the final exam
Week 17
FINAL EXAM
Monday, April 29, 2013, 8:00am-10:00a
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Required Readings for COMM 3405, Aristotle to Twitter
Cloud, D. L. (1999, summer). The null persona: Race and the rhetoric of silence in the uprising of
’34. Rhetoric and Public Affairs 2(2), 177-209.
Delicath, J. W., & DeLuca, K. M. (2003). Image events, the public sphere, and Argumentative
practice: The case of radical environmental groups. Argumentation, 17, 315-333.
DeLuca, K. M., Lawson, S., & Sun, Y. (2012, December). Occupy Wall Street on the public
screens of social media: The many framings of the birth of a protest movement. Communication,
Culture & Critique, 5(4), 483-509. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.17539137.2012.01141.x/full.
Desilet, G. (1989). Nietzsche contra Burke: The melodrama in dramatism. The Quarterly Journal of
Speech, 75, 65-83.
Ehrenhaus, P. (2001, September). Why we fought: Holocaust memory in Spielberg’s Saving Private
Ryan. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 18(3), 321Foster, L. (2011). The rhetoric of heavy metal resistance: Music modalities in Iraqi public life. Middle
East Journal of Culture and Communication, 4, 320-338.
Goodman, J. D., & Preston, J. (2012, March 9). How the Kony video went viral. The New York Times
(available through lexis nexis, on the web)
Greenwald, G. (2012, December 14). Zero Dark Thirty: CIA hagiography, pernicious propaganda.
The Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/14/zero-dark-thirty-ciapropaganda.
Hayden, M. V. (2012, December 28). Relax, “Zero Dark Thirty” is only a movie. CNN.com.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/28/opinion/hayden-intelligence-politics/.
Hazelkorn, E. (1980, fall). “Capital” and the Irish Question. Science & Society, 44 (3), 326-356.
Katriel, T. (1987). Rhetoric in flames: Fire inscriptions in Israeli youth movements ceremonies. The
Quarterly Journal of Speech, 444-459.
Krajewski, B. (2012). Review: Plato’s counterfeit sophists. Philosophy & Rhetoric, 45 (3), 343-350.
McDorman, T. F. (2006, September). History, collective memory, and the Supreme Court: Debating
“the People” through the Dred Scott Controversy. Southern Communication Journal, 71 (3), 213-234.
Morozov, E. (2011, April). Whither internet control? Journal of Democracy, 22 (2), 62-74.
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Pieterse, J. N. (2012). Leaking superpower: Wikileaks and the contradictions of democracy. Third
World Quarterly, 33, 1909-1924.
Stahl, R. (2010). Becoming bombs: 3D animated satellite imagery and the weaponization of the civic
eye. Media Tropes eJournal, 2(2), 65-93.
Terrill, R. E. (1993). Put on a happy face: Batman as schizophrenic savior. The Quarterly Journal of
Speech, 79, 319-335.
Vatz, R. E. (1973, summer). The myth of the rhetorical situation. Philosophy & Rhetoric, 6(3), 154-161.
Waldorf, L. (2012). White noise: Hearing the disaster. Journal of Human Rights, 4(3), 469-474.
Zizek, S. (2002, spring). Welcome to the desert of the real. The South Atlantic Quarterly, 101, 385-389.