PREPARATION FOR THE CCR VIDEO CONFERENCE
OREBRO, SWEDEN & STANFORD UNIVERSITY, USA, February 9, 2011
1. FIND AN OBJECT. Select an object that represents some aspect of your personal
and cultural identity. This may be a t-shirt, an electronic device, a photograph, a
key ring, magazine, piece of jewelry – anything that defines you in relation to a
specific cultural group. For instance, Christine (the Stanford instructor) would
probably bring a Starbucks cup as a talking point to introduce her personal need for
hot chocolate every morning and her cultural participation in American coffeehouse
culture. BRING YOUR OBJECT WITH YOU TO THE VIDEO CONFERENCE ON
WEDNESDAY.
2. WATCH YOUR ASSIGNED SPEECHES & TAKE NOTES. Below, you will find
speeches that we have chosen for each group to watch and review in preparation for
Wednesday’s session. As you watch them, consider them in relation to the focus
questions below. Please note: you only need review the speeches of your group, not
all of them. We suggest this process:

First read the focus questions (below – note that the questions continue onto the
second page)

Listen to/watch the speeches (follow along with the transcript of the speech, if
one is provided)

As you listen/watch, jot down some notes to bring to the video conference to
foster a strong analysis with your group. In addition to taking notes based on
the focusing questions, for each speech, take note of one section that you think is
particularly strong and powerful (note the time counter for this section in your
notes). BRING THESE NOTES WITH YOU TO THE VIDEO CONFERENCE ON
WEDNESDAY
Note: you can connect directly to the videos listed this handout through the CCR
website workshop page: http://ccr.stanford.edu/workshops/2011.02.09.html.
FOCUS QUESTIONS FOR SPEECHES
1. RHETORICAL SITUATION
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What persona does the speaker embody in the use of oral rhetoric as well as in physical
appearance, gesture, voice intonation, dramatic pauses, emphasis, etc?
Also, how does the speaker use strategies such as example, comparison/contrast,
definition, cause and effect in making his/her argument? What rhetorical appeals
does s/he use (appeals to ethos, pathos, logos, kairos)?
How do these strategies relate to his/her understanding of the audience for the speech?
In terms of oratory, what level of style is the speaker using in the speech? Does s/he
speak plainly or use ornate language? Does the speaker use deliberate repetition of
words, key terms, or concepts that will resonate with the audience? Does the speaker
use parallel structures or signposting? Is there a sense of climax or increasing intensity
in the speech?
PREPARATION FOR THE CCR VIDEO CONFERENCE
OREBRO, SWEDEN & STANFORD UNIVERSITY, USA, February 9, 2011

How do the context and moment seem to affect the content and delivery of the
speech?
2. DOXA: CULTURAL IDENTITY
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How does the speaker address issues of ethnicity, gender, and religion?
How do factors like ethnicity, gender and religion affect the rhetoric of this speaker in
terms of choice of language, stories, metaphors, allusions or even assumptions?
How does the speech reflect or construct particular cultural values (DOXA)? Through
what word choice, allusions, jokes, historical references? How might other audiences
respond to these parts of the speech?
How do the speaker’s choices help shape cultural values as well (imposing new cultural
values on an audience)?
Group A. Constructing Racial and Cultural Identity
Maz Jobrani, Comedian, Axis of Evil Comedy Tour. “Did You Hear the One About the
Iranian American?” July 2010.
Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/maz_jobrani_make_jokes_not_bombs.html
Transcript: Same link as for video. Click on “Open Interactive Transcript” link on the
top of the right sidebar, to the right of the video.
Jay Walker, “The World’s English Mania”. Feb 2009.
Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/jay_walker_on_the_world_s_english_mania.html
Transcript: Same link as for video. Click on “Open Interactive Transcript” link on the
top of the right sidebar, to the right of the video.
Barack Obama, “A More Perfect Union.” 2008.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWe7wTVbLUU (WATCH AT LEAST THE
FIRST 15 MINUTES)
Transcript: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/18/obama-race-speech-readth_n_92077.html
Group B: Technology for Liberation & Oppression
Evgeny Morozov, “How the Net Aids Dictatorships.” July 2009.
Video:
http://www.ted.com/talks/evgeny_morozov_is_the_internet_what_orwell_feared.ht
ml
Transcript: Same link as for video. Click on “Open Interactive Transcript” link on the
top of the right sidebar, to the right of the video.
PREPARATION FOR THE CCR VIDEO CONFERENCE
OREBRO, SWEDEN & STANFORD UNIVERSITY, USA, February 9, 2011
Gordon Brown, United Kingdom Prime Minister, “Wiring the Web for Global Good.”
July 2009.
Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/gordon_brown.html
Transcript: Same link as for video. Click on “Open Interactive Transcript” link on the
top of the right sidebar, to the right of the video.
Group C. Perspectives on War and Global Conflicts
Zainab Salbi, Founder, Women for Women International. “Women, wartime, and
the dream of peace.” July 2010.
Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/zainab_salbi.html
Transcript: Same link as for video. Click on “Open Interactive Transcript” link on the
top of the right sidebar, to the right of the video.
Stefan Wolff, German Political Scientist. “The Path to Ending Ethnic Conflicts”. July
2010.
Video:
http://www.ted.com/talks/stefan_wolff_the_path_to_ending_ethnic_conflicts.html
Transcript: Same link as for video. Click on “Open Interactive Transcript” link on the
top of the right sidebar, to the right of the video.