Faculty of Social Sciences
Rhetoric and Public Speech
63-009-18
Dr. Tsuriel Rashi
Course Type: Required Intro, B.A. Year: Second Day/Hour: Monday 18:00-19:30
Credit hours: 1 annual credit (one semester, 2 hours) - Fall 2015
Office Hours: Monday 15:00-16:00
Office: Building 109, Room 10
Phone: 03-5317176.
Email: tsuriel.rashi@gmail.com
A. General and Specific Goals of the Course and its Rationale
This course will focus on theories of classic and new rhetoric in interpersonal communication and
in the mass media. We will listen to and analyze speeches, and examine and discuss the logic of the
messages and the arguments. We will learn the basic rules for developing a speech in a classroom
setting, for a ceremony, for building good presentations and for using them in lectures and in
debates. Dozens of recorded speeches as well as texts of speeches from all over the world will be
presented and analyzed. Participants will speak in front of their colleagues and take part in internal
debates concerning professional and universal issues.
B. Course Requirements
1) Delivering a speech
2) Exam about selected items from the bibliography and about all the lectures.
C. Final Grade Apportionment
Speech 30%
Exam 70%
D. Course Program and Accompanying Syllabi
General reading items
Freeley, A. J. and D. Steinberg. (2000). Argumentation and Debate: Critical Thinking for Reasoned
Decision Making (10th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
808.53 FRE a10 (509673)
Landtsheer, C. De and O. Feldman (Ed.). (2000). Beyond Public Speech and Symbols: Explorations
in the Rhetoric of Politicians and the Media. Westport, CT: Praeger.
N/A
Olmsted, W. (2006). Rhetoric: An Historical Introduction. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
N/A
1
Required reading materials are marked with star (*)
Sessions 1 and 2: Introduction to Rhetoric
Harvey, Y. (2007). Plato's Rhetoric. In: I. Worthington (Ed.), A Companion to Greek Rhetoric (pp.
75–84). Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
N/A
W. Keith and C. Lundberg (2014). 'Creating a History for Public Speaking Instruction'. Rhetoric &
Public Affairs 17(1), pp. 139-146
Ejournal (505421)
Session 3: Logic
*T. Conley. (2004). Argumentation: What Jokes Can Tell Us about Arguments. In: W. Jost, and W.
Olmsted (Ed.), A Companion to Rhetoric and Rhetorical Criticism (pp. 266–277). Oxford: WileyBlackwell.
N/A
Session 4: Instruments of Rhetoric
Booth, W. C. (2004). The Rhetoric of Rhetoric: The Quest for Effective Communication. (pp. 5584). Malden, MA: Blackwell.
808 BOO r (1154237) – in the English library
Session 5: Demagogy
K. F., Sonja, K. Foss, and R. Trapp (Eds.), (2002). Contemporary Perspectives on Rhetoric. (pp.118). Prospect Heights: Waveland Press.
808 CON 2002 (1144151) – in the English library
Sessions 6 and 7: Mass Psychology
* Groeling, T. and M. A. Baum (2008). Crossing the Water's Edge: Elite Rhetoric, Media Coverage,
and the Rally-Round-the-Flag Phenomenon. Journal of Politics, 70(4): 1065–1085.
Ejournal (118968)
Herbst, S. (2007). The Rhetorical Presidency and the Contemporary Media Environment. Critical
Review: A Journal of Politics and Society, 19 (2/3): 335–343.
Ejournal (437394)
Session 8: Electoral Rhetoric
* Scott, H. and S. H. Church (2010). YouTube Politics: YouChoose and Leadership Rhetoric during
the 2008 Election. Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 7(2/3):124–142.
Ejournal (2404793)
Sessions 9 and 10: Political Rhetoric
Krebs, R. R. and P.T. Jackson (2007). Twisting Tongues and Twisting Arms: The Power of
Political Rhetoric. European Journal of International Relations, 13 (1): 35–66
Ejournal (586516)
Sessions 11 and 12: Debating
Asen, R. (2010). Reflections on the Role of Rhetoric in Public Policy. Rhetoric & Public Affairs,
13(1): 121–143.
Ejournal (505421)
2
* Bostdorff, D. M. (2009). Judgment, Experience, and Leadership: Candidate Debates on the Iraq
War in the 2008 Presidential Primaries. Rhetoric & Public Affairs, 12 (2): 223–277.
Ejournal (505421)
Sessions 13 and 14: Practical Experience in Debating
3