Arts of Communication
MLD 717
Spring 2012
Instructor: Luciana Herman, Ph.D.
Office: Taubman 260 (Shorenstein Center)
Office Hours (T260): Fridays, 10-12, and by appointment
Office Phone: 617-495-0478
Email: luciana_herman@hks.harvard.edu
CA: Sungmin Cho, Sungmin_Cho@hks12.harvard.edu
Office Hours: TBA
CA: Daniel Rotman, Daniel_Rotman@hks11.harvard.edu
Office Hours: TBA
HKS class website: Opens first day of class
Lecture on Mondays, 2:30-4 p.m., L130
RED Section (18 students): Wednesday, 2:30-4:00, L130
BLUE Section (22 students): Friday, 1-3, L280
(Note: For the first three weeks of the term, please come to all M/W/F classes. After that time, you will
be placed in a Wednesday or Friday section. Please avoid conflicts!)
Welcome to Arts of Communication. This course can help turn you into a persuasive public
speaker—someone who speaks with the ease, confidence, clarity, and modes of persuasion necessary to
professional policy making. The course focuses on the styles and genres of public speaking for policy
and political audiences, including presentations to clients, position speeches, hot topic speeches before
hostile or skeptical audiences, legislative testimony, press conferences, interviews, ceremonial speeches,
and personal stories. The course helps you develop your own personal style by deepening your
understanding of the persuasive tools, recommendations, refutations, modes of analysis, and variations
in audiences that motivate listeners to turn policy into action. The course is especially appropriate for
students without strong public speaking backgrounds who wish to develop a basic rhetorical
foundation.
A note on experience: Arts of Communication is not designed to help with basic issues of grammar,
usage, and fluency, and it is not recommended for students who are new to English or who seek
remedial support. Instead, MLD 717 teaches you the strategies, techniques, and habits of skilled
speakers, and provides a rigorous, immersive environment in which to internalize them.
The class is grounded in:
1. Constant speaking. Approximately every other week, you will present a speech, ranging from a short
exercise, to longer works of exposition, reflection, or persuasion. At least twice during the semester, you
will lead class discussion on a professional speech of your choice. At every class meeting you will
contribute vigorously to class discussion as we analyze the speeches of public policy makers and
politicians and critique each other's speaking style.
1
2. Constant reading, listening, and analysis. The class challenges you with some of the best speeches
from and about the world of policy and politics. You will be asked to contribute to the opus of readings
with works you admire or find provocative. You will discuss, analyze, evaluate, and occasionally edit
what you read and hear.
3. Constant feedback. For each assignment you will receive oral and written feedback from your
instructor and your colleagues. Your speeches are recorded for viewing on the course website so that
you can observe yourself and your colleagues through a critical lens. At least twice during the class, you
will join a team of your colleagues and instructor in an intensive coaching session during which we view
and critique two of your presentations word by word--something you are expected to do regularly with
your own speeches on a personal basis. You will also work in groups of three or four, analyzing,
discussing, and critiquing the work of your colleagues. These required hour-long workshops occur
outside of class with the intention of helping you prepare strong in-class presentations.
5. Vibrant class discussions about the reading material, the speaking assignments, and the craft of
public speaking. The course operates as a graduate discussion—not as a lecture—that relies on you as
part of a community of scholars and policy-makers. Your critical perspective on the competing
positions, theories, and insights of the materials is crucial to a holistic understanding of effective public
speaking. You should contribute orally to every class.
Course Assignments:
MLD 717 is organized around a variety of public speaking modes that you will apply to a policy issue of
your choosing. You’ll write an op-ed (750 words), develop a speech on core values, pitch a policy idea,
debate an issue, and speak to both hostile and receptive audiences about your policy position or research.
You may also choose to lead a mock press conference, join a mock televised interview, or serve on as an
expert on a mock legislative panel. At the end of the course, you will deliver a ceremonial speech and
craft a toast. Throughout the course, you will also be developing an online presence as a policy maker
and student of rhetoric by posting messages about your policy interests and/or core concepts in the class.
Class schedule: The course is structured as a lecture/discussion on Mondays, 2:30 pm, in L130, with
occasional guest speakers. Starting in week 2 and continuing for the rest of the semester, students are
divided into two sections of approximately 20 students each – one on Wednesdays and one on Fridays –
for speeches. Please feel free to attend all or part of the other section on an optional basis, but do not
miss your assigned section.
Grading includes mandatory class participation (20%), an op-ed (10%) which you may revise (the two
versions will be graded separately and averaged together), regular presentations and speeches
(cumulative 60%), and a final quiz on rhetorical devices and approaches (10%). Two or more unexcused
absences will affect your class participation grade.
Texts: Most texts are available online (linked via course website) and all texts, including online
versions, are on reserve at HKS Library.


George Lakoff, Don’t Think of an Elephant (paperback). White River, VT: Chelsea Green
Publishing Company, 2004.
Jay Allison and Dan Gediman, eds., This I Believe: Getting The Personal Philosophies of
Remarkable Men and Women (paperback) New York, NY: Picador, 2006.
2


Drew Westen, The Political Brain (paperback). United States: Public Affairs, Perseus Books
Group, 2007.
Course Reader, vol. 1 (CR1), available from the Course Materials Office. The first volume
includes only the texts that are not available online.
Recommended:








Course Reader, vol. 2, Online Texts (CR2), available from the Course Materials Office. The
second volume includes only online texts. You are, of course, free to download these texts via the
course website rather than purchase the hard copy version through the Course Materials Office.
Jay Heinrichs, Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach
Us About the Art of Persuasion (Three Rivers Press, 2007).
Andras Szanto, What Orwell Didn't Know
Roger Ailes, You Are the Message
Peggy Noonan, On Speaking Well
Jack Valenti, Speak Up With Confidence
Joseph Williams, Style: 10 Lessons in Clarity and Grace
Strunk and White, Elements of Style
These websites contain links to a broad range of rhetorical resources, including famous speeches:
 http://www.americanrhetoric.com
 http://www.tcc.vccs.edu/lrc/guides/speeches.htm
 http://www.figarospeech.com/
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/greatspeeches/
Class Schedule
Monday, January 23: Introduction
Discussion for today:


"Rhetoric," "Logos," "Ethos," "Pathos" definitions from Oxford English Dictionary; classical
rhetoric extract (CR1)
President Kennedy's Inaugural Address
o Video: http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/USG-17.aspx
o Text and audio: http://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Ready-Reference/JFKQuotations/Inaugural-Address.aspx (CR2)
Topics: What are the basic rhetorical concepts of a speech? How do those concepts determine the
success or failure of a speech? What are the strengths and weaknesses of Kennedy's Inaugural Address?
How might different kinds of audiences perceive those strengths and weaknesses?
General topic: Enriching our understanding of the Greek origins of rhetorical study and the means and
ends of public speaking for policy and politics.
Tuesday, January 24: Obama's State of the Union Address. Note: This class session is
optional, but you are required to watch the speech. Location: TBA
3
Wednesday, January 25: Politics and the English Language
Discussion today:




George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language” (CR2),
www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm
Obama's State of the Union Address
Cold War timeline leading up to JFK's Inaugural Address (distributed in class)
Assignment and description of hypothetical audiences (distributed in class)
Topics: How does rhetoric control and distort meaning? Compare Kennedy's Inaugural Address to
Obama's State of the Union. How do they speak effectively to multiple audiences? How do they use
rhetoric to speak to those audiences? What modes of persuasion do they use to capture the attention of
competing audiences? How can we express meaning clearly without succumbing to empty rhetoric in
our own public words?
Speaking for today: Be ready to deliver a short written statement (>500 words) on the topic of either
Kennedy's Inaugural Address or Obama's State of the Union Address from the perspective of a key
audience perspective. Turn in your written statement at the end of class.
Friday, January 27: Social Media Introductory Workshop
Special guest: John Wihbey, Joan Shorenstein Center for the Press, Politics, and Public Policy
Be sure to bring a laptop or mobile device to class.
Discussion today:
 Social Media for Policy Makers (CR2)
 Twitter / Tweet Deck
 Facebook
 Other social media
Topics: How do policy makers and politicians use social media for effective branding, messaging, and
connecting with constituents? How can you develop your own public voice through social media?
Writing and speaking for today: Compose in class one or two sentences that explain as fully as
possible what it is that you study or work on in the world of policy or a change that you want to effect.
Then reduce those sentences to in 140 characters or less and introduce yourself to the class via Twitter.
Please also post the longer description of your work (and a link to your Twitter handle) to the class
online discussion list.
Monday, January 30: Finding your Voice
Reading for today:




Marie Danziger, "Finding Your Voice" (CR)
Emily Hiestand, “On Style” (CR)
Susan Orlean, “On Voice” (CR)
Jay Allison, ed. This I Believe, pp. 1-57
4
Speeches for today:

Martin Luther King, "I've Been to the Mountaintop"
o excerpt, http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkivebeentothemountaintop.htm
(CR2)
o full speech, part 1, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2EnnclLMX4
o part 2, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySGDMdQaDA0
Topics: What is personal style? How can your style be evaluated and improved? What are the
consequences of "bad" style and the advantages of stylistic excellence? What rhetorical features are
unique to Martin Luther King? What lessons can you learn from his style?
General topic: Learning how to judge and attain high stylistic standards.
Homework (due next class): Write a 350-word self-evaluation. What are your strengths as a public
speaker? What are your weaknesses? How do you hope to improve over time and in this course? Why
are public speaking skills important to you? Who are your role models as speakers? Turn this selfevaluation in to the instructor.
Wednesday, February 1: Leadership and Civil Rights
Reading for today:



Daniel Goleman, “What Makes a Leader” Harvard Business Review, January 2004
http://hbr.org/2004/01/what-makes-a-leader/ar/1 (CR2)
Marie Danziger, Flyswatter Techniques (Handout in class)
See original Civil Rights-era documents from JFK Library displayed on second floor of
Littauer
Choose one of the following areas as your primary focus:
Civil Rights:
 Malcolm X, "Ballot or the Bullet," April 12, 1964, Detroit Michigan
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRNciryImqg
 Mos Def Reads Malcolm X's, "Message to the Grass Roots"
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzC3ZKzkTOM&feature=related
Women's Rights:
 Sojourner Truth, "Ain't I a Woman?" The Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio - December,
1851: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/sojtruth-woman.asp (CR2)
o Alfre Woodward enacts speech, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vr_vKsk_h8
 Shirley Chisholm, "On the Equal Rights Amendment,"
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/shirleychisholmequalrights.htm (CR2)
o http://www.famousquotes.me.uk/speeches/Sojourner-Truth/index.htm (CR2)
 Hillary Clinton, "Women's Rights are Human Rights," September 20, 1995,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk3nzRt7p94
Gay Rights:
 Harvey Milk's "Hope" Speech, 1978
5
o http://www.danaroc.com/guests_harveymilk_122208.html (text only)(CR2)
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzQ3NFXwpV8 (short video)
o Sean Penn as Harvey Milk (2009 Oscar Winner for Best Actor)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_0W1B_Ns0Q
 Urvashi Vaid, March on Washington, April 25, 1993 (text only)
o http://www.famousquotes.me.uk/speeches/Urvashi-Vaid/index.htm (CR2)
 Diane Savino's NYS Senate Speech
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCFFxidhcy0
 Joel Burns' Speech to Fort Worth City Council
o http://news.lalate.com/2010/10/17/joel-burns-says-forth-worth-video-speech-hassaved-lives/
 President Obama, "It Gets Better" Video
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geyAFbSDPVk
Free Speech Movement:
 Clip from "Berkeley in the Sixties" focusing on the climactic beginning of the movement on
October 1, 1964
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MufwTCgodmM
 Mario Savio, "Gears Upon the Wheels," December 2, 1964
o http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mariosaviosproulhallsitin.htm (CR2)
 Ronald Reagan, Campaign Stump Speech (berating the FSM), 1966
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCr3nL78qWs&feature=related
Speaking for today: Impromptu leadership scenarios based on real-life situations concerning civil rights.
If you would like to investigate other instances of civil rights leadership--for example, the Arab Spring-please be ready to offer a short speech on an issue central to your topic.
Topics for today: What role does language play in strong leadership? How do leaders in complex
leadership situations deploy language to manage or enthuse audiences?
Friday, February 3: JFK and the Civil Rights Movement
Field trip to JFK Library; guest speaker, Nina Tisch, Education Specialist
Speeches for today:
 Clip from September 13, 1962, "I love Mississippi" speech by Ross Barnett, Governor of
Mississippi, regarding the integration of the University of Mississippi
o News clip of Ross Barnett's speech, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygVf3FxKxJU
o News clip of the uprisings on September 29, 1962, with the integration of the University
of Mississippi, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqofI8hN1FI
o Recommended: Phone conversations between JFK and Barnett,
http://millercenter.org/scripps/archive/presidentialrecordings/kennedy/dictabelts
 4C.1 - Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Ross Barnett (ca. September 29, 1962).
Topics include: James Meredith and the University of Mississippi crisis.
 4E.1 - Kennedy and Ross Barnett (September 30, 1962). Topics include: James
Meredith and the University of Mississippi crisis.
 4F.1 - Kennedy and Ross Barnett (September 30, 1962). Topics include: James
Meredith and the University of Mississippi crisis.
6


Martin Luther King's Letter From a Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963
o http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/documents/Letter_Birmingham_Jail.pdf
o An enactment and film, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Y-64GJT8E
o A rhetorical analysis, http://faculty.deanza.fhda.edu/schultzmary/stories/storyReader$884
o Historical background, Encyclopedia of Alabama,
http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1389
JFK's June 11, 1963 speech on civil rights
o Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYuVKbEPgoc
o Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vitqaJ7VKqQ&feature=related
Topics for today: How does Kennedy manage the escalating situation in Mississippi? How does he rally
support from American citizens behind his decisions? How does Martin Luther King deploy logos,
ethos, and pathos to present the case for civil rights? What differences resonate for you between the
written and spoken texts?
General topic: Thinking about the historical context for the rhetoric of leadership.
Monday, February 6: Writing to Persuade, Part 1
Guest speaker, Jeff Seglin, Director of the HKS Communications Program
Reading for today:




Op-ed assignment materials (distributed in class and available via course website)
Selected op-eds by HKS faculty available through URL from KSG pressroom:
http://www.hks.harvard.edu/news-events/news/op-eds
Selections from the Economist (distributed in class)
Your selections from the op-ed pages of:
o The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com )
o The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com )
o The Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/public/us )
o The Boston Globe (http://www.boston.com/news/globe )
o Your choice of a regional or international newspaper or special interest magazine op-ed
section
Recommended:
 George Orwell, "Why I Write" (CR2),
http://mendham.wmrhsd.org/FACULTY_FILES/lpelizzoni/GeorgeOrwell--WhyIWrite.pdf
Writing and speaking for today: Post to the class discussion list your thoughts on the rhetorical
effectiveness of any recent op-ed of your choice. (Note: You may ardently disagree with the position of
the op-ed yet still find the argument rhetorically compelling.) Be ready to defend your argument orally
in class discussion.
Topics: What are the basic features of an op-ed? What makes an op-ed persuasive? What makes a
strong argument? A sound analysis? How do you strategize approaches for different kinds of audiences
and publications?
7
General topics: Presenting policy ideas in a public forum for lay audiences. Learning to relate rhetorical
approach to purpose and audience.
Wednesday, February 8: Writing to Persuade, Part 2
Guest Speaker: Richard Parker, Senior Lecturer on Religion and Public Policy, co-founder of Mother
Jones

Richard Parker, “Why the New Deal Still Matters,” The Nation (3/8/08),
http://www.thenation.com/article/why-new-deal-matters (CR2)
Richard Parker, "Wall Street's Game of Risk with Greece," Boston Globe (5/1/10),
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/05/01/wall_streets_ga
me_of_risk_with_greece/ (CR2)
Richard Parker, "Athens: The First Domino?" Nation (3/10/10),
http://www.thenation.com/article/athens-first-domino


Section, Friday, February 10: ALL STUDENTS
Writing and speaking for today: Bring in your completed op-ed draft. We will close read several
examples from your work for style, structure, and persuasiveness. Be ready to share with the class the
first 350 words of your op-ed and comment on how you think the editing process benefited or detracted
from your op-ed message.
Friday workshop: Working with your group, strive to compress your colleagues' writing into leaner oped style; look for ways to bring statistics and data to life through stories and metaphor; enliven the
writing through action words.
Monday, February 13: What's Modern about Classical Persuasion?
Reading for today:






Plato's Gorgias, excerpt, http://www.americanrhetoric.com/platoonrhetoric.htm
Aristotle’s Rhetoric, Book 1, Chapters 2 and 3,
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/aristotleonrhetoric.htm (CR2)
Peter Dixon, excerpt on structuring a speech (distributed in class)
Wayne Parsons, “Models, Maps and Metaphor,” from Public Policy: An Introduction to the
Theory and Practice of Policy Analysis, pp. 57-64. (CR)
Marie Danziger, “Mental Models for Public Speaking.” (CR)
Marie Danziger, “Markers for Public Speaking.” (CR)
Speeches for today:


Oprah Winfrey, NAACP Hall of Fame Induction Award, 2005,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqJ7hmYhBMg&feature=related
Obama's 2004 speech at the Democratic National Convention
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19751-2004Jul27.html (CR2)
8
Topics: What makes Aristotle's theory of rhetoric timeless? What are the core concepts of classical
rhetoric that inform great speeches today? What is the basic structure of a traditional speech? What is
the importance of a strong opening?
Wednesday/Friday, February 15/17: Putting Classical Concepts to Work
 Speaking for today: Prepare a strong three-minute opening as if for a longer speech based on the
topic of your op-ed.
Monday, February 13: President's Day Holiday
Section, Wed/Fri, Feb. 22/24: Expressing Your Values

Speaking for today: Deliver your op-ed as a speech grounded in your values. Respond to your
colleagues' speeches with constructive feedback.
Monday, February 27: Defending Your Values
Reading for today:
 Jay Allison, ed. This I Believe, pp. 58-111, 260-273
 Gerald Zaltman, “How Listeners Think,” in How Customers Think. (CR)
 Marie Danziger, “Guidelines for More Effective Public Speaking,” pp. 1-15. (CR)
 Jason Salzman, “Develop a Simple Message,” in Making the News: A Guide for Nonprofits
and Activists, 1998, pp. 9-10. (CR)
Recommended:
 Neil Postman, “The Information Age: A Blessing or a Curse?” (CR)
Speeches for today (compare and contrast their strategies):
 JFK on religion and politics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p0OMJbia4s
 Obama on religion and politics, "A More Perfect Union":
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hisownwords (CR2)
 Mitt Romney on religion and politics,
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1183011530760882415#
Recommended (listen to at least one):
 Gerda Weissman Klein, "One Survivor Remembers"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQvjyd6tUOA&feature=rellist&playnext=1&list=PL37223B
677547FCB6 (start at 3:30 mins.)
 Severn Cullis-Suzuki, "I'm Only a Child," UN Earth Summit 1992
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZsDliXzyAY
 Zach Wahl, Speech on Family
o http://www.care2.com/causes/son-of-lesbian-couple-testifies-before-iowa-housevideo.html
 Oprah Winfrey, 54th Annual EMMY Awards Speech
o Oprah Winfrey Receives the first Bob Hope Humanitarian Award - September 22, 2002
9
o http://www.famousquotes.me.uk/speeches/Oprah-Winfrey/index.htm (CR2)
Topics: What are the primary features of a strong public voice? How can you make your message heard
through the din of competing--and sometimes hostile--information? How do you prioritize your values
and convince listeners of your integrity and beliefs?
General topics: Rules for simplicity, specificity, and clarity to express your voice, enhance your
credibility, and inspire your audience.
Section, Wed/Fri, Feb. 29/Mar.1: Expressing Your Values (continued)

Speaking for today: Deliver your op-ed as a speech grounded in your values. Respond to your
colleagues' speeches with constructive feedback.
Monday, March 5: Rhetoric that Transforms, Part 1: The Power of Metaphor
Reading and speech for today:






Abraham Lincoln, “Gettysburg Address” (CR)
o Also see Jeff Daniels' performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvA0J_2ZpIQ
Gary Wills, “A Revolution in Style” (CR)
George Lakoff, Metaphors We Live By (CR); also available at:
http://theliterarylink.com/metaphors.html (CR2)
Mario Savio, "Gears Upon the Wheels" or "Machine" Speech, Sproul Hall Steps, University of
California, Berkeley, December 2, 1964
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcx9BJRadfw (video)
http://fsm-a.org/stacks/mario/mario_speech.html (text) (CR2)
Jawaharlal Nehru, "A Tryst with Destiny,"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/may/01/greatspeeches/print (CR2)
Glossary of terms, "Figures in Sound," on americanrhetoric.com:
http://americanrhetoric.com/rhetoricaldevicesinsound.htm (CR2)
Topics: How do rhetorical devices impact an audience? What devices are most likely to impassion an
audience, spark action, or transform beliefs? Which devices soothe impassioned audiences, reinforce
belief systems, or instill a sense of calm? What effect does metaphor have on an audience?
General topics: Learning tools to enhance the transformative power of your speaking.
Section, Wednesday/Friday, March 7/9: Assignment TBA
Monday, March 5: Spring Break
Monday, 19: Rhetoric that Transforms, Part 2: Managing Outcomes in Crisis
Special guest, John McConnell, speechwriter to President George W. Bush
Speeches for today:
10





George Bush, Post-9/11 Speech, National Cathedral,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDcdpEBctaQ
Winston Churchill, "Blood, Toil, Tears, Sweat,"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVg7rnRheK8
Nelson Mandela, speech against his imprisonment (text only)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/greatspeeches/mandela/0,,2060099,00.html (CR2)
Ronald Reagan, Space Shuttle Challenger Tragedy Address
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ronaldreaganchallenger.htm
Obama, BP Oil Spill speech, June 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh76oepKFc8
http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USTRE65F02C20100616 (CR2)
Recommended:
 Ronald Reagan, Chernobyl speech, May 4, 1986 (see last paragraph)
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1986/50486c.htm
 Gorbachev, Chernobyl speech, May 16, 1986
http://abcnews.go.com/Archives/video/14-1986-gorbachev-speaks-chernobyl-13564506
 Emperor Akihito, Fukujima Dai-Chi nuclear disaster, March, 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=YeYqYqPyOso
http://abcnews.go.com/Archives/video/14-1986-gorbachev-speaks-chernobyl-13564506
Section, Wednesday/Friday, March 21/23:
Speaking for today: TBA
Monday, March 26: Changing Minds
Probable guest speaker on the topic of political advertising and messaging
Reading for today:


Howard Gardner, Changing Minds (CR)
Drew Westen, The Political Brain, pages TBA
Recommended:
 Raymond Williams, Key Words (CR)
o Consensus, Culture, Democracy, Equality, Ideology, Jargon
 Andrew Levine, Political Keywords (CR)
o Culture, Democracy, Equality/Egalitarianism, Freedom/Liberty, Ideology, Justice,
Terror/Terrorism
Speeches for today: [NOTE: THIS CONTENT WILL CHANGE TO FOCUS ON POLITICAL AND
POLICY MESSAGING AND ADVERTISING]

Bill Clinton, Memphis Church of God in Christ Convention Address (Note: think back to MLK's
"Mountaintop" speech)
o http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/wjclintonmemphis.htm (CR2)
11




Greek crisis speech
David Cameron's First Speech as Prime Minister
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw_MI3uCz5Y
Barbara Jordan, 1976 DNC Keynote Address,
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/barbarajordan1976dnc.html (CR2)
Vladimir Putin, "Address to the Olympic Committee for 2014,"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aNo3DxWaW4
***LECTURE***, Wednesday, March 28: Press Conference
Guest Speaker: Jennifer Hollett, award-winning cross-platform journalist
Speeches for today:
 Obama press conference on Solyndra scandal
 Bush press conference on CIA operations agent Valerie Plame, Ambassador Joe Wilson, and
Iraqi nuclear intelligence
Friday, March 30: Press Conference
Speaking for today: With Gardner's ideas in mind, run a press conference on a controversial topic. In
your answers to the press, employ at least two key words to frame and define your perspective. How do
these terms help to shape possible outcomes? Be able to explain them and discuss why you think they
work.
Monday, April 2: Words, Frames, World-Views, Part 1
Reading for today:




George Lakoff, Moral Politics, Chapters 1, 2, 5 and 6 (pp. 4-37; 66-140) (CR)
Frank Luntz, Words that Work (CR)
Matt Bai, "The Framing Wars" (CR)
Drew Westen, The Political Brain, pages TBA
Speeches for today:



George W. Bush, "War on Terror," Address to Congress, September 20, 2001,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMj9g6WRLfQ
George W. Bush, "Axis of Evil" excerpt from 2002 State of the Union Address,
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9232436
Denzel Washington, "The Nigger They Couldn't Kill,"
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziu6LMjUi60&feature=related
Topics: Understanding the power of key terms and framing as central components to understanding.
How do key terms shape arguments? How do they simplify or convey complex ideas? How do they
persuade readers of primary values? How can you use framing to convey the integrity of your position?
General topic: Employing framing and key terms to strengthen your policy ideas and shape outcomes.
12
Section, Wednesday/Friday, March 4/6: Frontline Interview Techniques
Guest Speaker: Doug Gavel, HKS Communications Associate Director
Speaking for today: With two partners, practice a mock interview in your subject area. Watch and
critique your colleagues who participated in the television interview workshop with Doug Gavel and
Molly Lanzarotta.
Monday, April 9: Words, Frames, World-Views, Part 2






George Bush, 2005 State of the Union Address (re: Social Security reform),
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/stateoftheunion2005.htm (CR2)
Brent Cunningham, “The Rhetoric Beat” (thinking critically about Lakoff's argument) (CR)
Frank Luntz, Republican strategist Frank Luntz's "memo," which prompted much controversy
when it was leaked during the 2004 election, is available to download in two parts -- Part I and
Part II (Note: the pdf files are quite large.)
o Part 1,
http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic97451.files/Resource_Texts/Luntz_Part_1_of_2.
pdf
o Part 2,
http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic97451.files/Resource_Texts/Luntz_Part_2_of_2.
pdf
Frank Luntz, PBS "Frontline," Interview:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/interviews/luntz.html
Steven Pinker and George Lakoff exchanges on Lakoff’s theory of framing (CR)
Ronald Reagan, Remarks Before Signing the Tax Reform Act of 1986,
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ronaldreagantaxreformactof1986.html (CR2)
Topics: Understanding the power of key terms and framing as central components to understanding.
How do key terms shape arguments? How do they simplify or convey complex ideas? How do they
persuade readers of primary values? How can you use framing to convey the integrity of your position?
General topic: Employing framing and key terms to strengthen your policy ideas and shape outcomes.
Section, Wednesday/Friday, April 11/13: [This assignment may change, depending on
class pace and your interests]
Speaking for today: You are the speechwriter for frontline policy maker who is proposing to advance a
controversial policy position that is contrary to your own position. Clearly describe the ideological
values of your decision maker. What are the key words that motivate their thinking? What is the
opposing (or counter) position? How can you maintain the integrity of your values while writing a
speech that addresses concerns on the opposing side?
Monday, April 16: Know Your Audience: Parsing Values
Reading for today:
13





George Lakoff, Don’t Think of an Elephant
Lakoff, "The Framing of Immigration," BuzzFlash, 5/22/06:
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/06/05/con06208.html (CR2)
The Pew Research Center for People and the Press, “Beyond Red and Blue” typology:
o http://typology.people-press.org/
o http://people-press.org/report/?pageid=949
Part II, the Political Typology, and Profiles of the Typology Groups:
o http://people-press.org/report/?pageid=944
Take the Typology Questionnaire:
o http://typology.people-press.org/typology/
Speeches for today:
 Jon Kyl on the Dream Act. Available on the course website.
 Richard Durbin on the Dream Act. Available on the course website.
Recommended:



Nick Clegg, David Cameron, and Gordon Brown on immigration reform,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7U7P_AOKi8&NR=1
John McCain on immigration reform, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM96OOXyOVo
Obama on immigration reform, addressing a question in Boone, Iowa,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7U7P_AOKi8&NR=1
Topics: What is an audience? How much can you realistically expect from your audience in terms of
knowledge, attention, and empathy? How does effective speaking adapt itself to its audience? Who is
the audience for your own policy writing? How does your speaking change for different audiences?
How do moral and political values inform policy perspectives? How do audience traits and values
influence your choice of style, structure, subject, and ideas? How do you effectively frame policy for
different kinds of audiences? How do you navigate competing value systems among your readers or
convince skeptical audiences of your policy positions?
General topic: Understanding and addressing the competing needs, values, and expectations of different
audiences.
Section, Wednesday/Friday, April 18/20:
Speaking for today: Use framing to advance a controversial policy position that is contrary to your own
position. Clearly describe the ideological values of the audience you seek to convince. What are the key
words that motivate their thinking? What is the opposing (or counter) position? How did you maintain
the integrity of your values while addressing and, ideally, persuading the opposing side?
Monday, April 23: Legislative Testimony (Assignments TBA)
Section, Wednesday/Friday, April 25/27: Mock legislative panels
Monday, April 30: Ceremonial Speaking: Toasts, Tributes and Eulogies
Reading for today:
14


JFK, Tribute to Robert Frost, World’s Greatest Speeches, pp. 748-750. (distributed in class)
Cyrus M. Copeland, "Death, Be Not Ponderous,” New York Times, October 21, 2004 (available
online and on class website)
Speeches for today:
Earl of Spencer, Tribute to Diana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VUy-wBwBvw
Obama’s Eulogy for Ted Kennedy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK5-uJc3EnY
Ted Kennedy Jr’s Eulogy for His Father
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m86jKLjV7-I
Tim Russert Memorial Service
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25174922/ns/meet_the_press_online_at_msnbcremembering_tim_russert/
Rosa Parks Funeral Service
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=46457
Recommended Readings (via course website):
 Mark Anthony (Shakespeare), Oration on the Dead Body of Julius Caesar,
World’s Greatest Speeches, pp. 58-62.
 Winston Churchill, “Their Finest Hour,” World’s Greatest Speeches, pp. 439-446.
 Jawaharlal Nehru, “A Glory Has Departed” (Gandhi eulogy), World’s Greatest
Speeches, pp. 619-620.
 Mark Twain, “New England Weather,” World’s Greatest Speeches, pp. 693-696.

Frederick Douglass, Oration in Memory of Abraham Lincoln, World’s Greatest
Speeches, pp. 808-814.
Friday, May 4, Quincy House Senior Common Room: Party with toasts!
15