Blogora Classic: Institutionalizing Rhetoric, January 19, 2005

January 19, 2005

Institutionalizing Rhetoric

Assuming we aren't all replaced by holographic images on some future form of WebCT, or sent to some kind of re-education camp when David Horowitz is named Education Czar under the Jeb Bush administration, it seems safe to say that English departments and Communication departments will continue to exist as separate entities for some time--with rhetorical studies occupying an unstable locus between the two departments. And RSA will continue to flourish as a meeting point for rhetoricians, whether at conferences or in RSQ.

What does the future hold? We are at a genuine crisis point in higher education in the US, driven partially by the collapse of public support (financial and otherwise). I believe it would interesting to propose some alternative models for rhetorical education, in the hope of stimulating debate about strategic planning for the profession.

Here's one, to start discussion [I'm not endorsing any particular model, just constructing some ideal types]:

The English Envy model. Rhetoricians in Communication departments don't get along well with social scientists in Communication. Undergraduate communication majors often are driven by the assumption that the degree will help them become Jane Pauley or that it's a "business lite" (i.e., no math) major. English undergrads at least like to read and analyze texts. Although English departments have their own problems, they are more likely to survive than Communication departments. Rhet/Comp programs are now doing "public address" well, as they have done history of rhetoric well for a long time, so the justification for separate programs no longer exists. English departments don't really "get" oral performance (and especially not debate) but then neither do rhetoricians in Communication, for the most part. Therefore, as Steven Mailloux appeared to imply at the Association of Rhetoric Societies conference in Evanston last year, it may be time to revisit the Exodus of "speech" from English that formed what we now call NCA and traverse back to Egypt-land.

The stand-alone department model. Rather than moving from Comm. to English, we need instead a dual exodus--rhet/comp away from the litcrit hegemons in English and rhet/public address away from the quantoids in Comm. The new department gets custody of first-year writing and public speaking, at least, but gets to develop a new major with its own (inter)disciplinary integrity.

Exodus from English model. This one is highly unlikely, but would involve English rhet/comp folks joining Communication departments.

It ain't broke model. Creativity often occurs at the margins and across fields. The current model of separating rhetoric between English and Communication promotes conversation without conformity (with RSA being the ideal national meeting-point). Mergers may occur locally (as at Virginia or Iowa State), but no one-size-fits-all model can be developed for rhetoric programs.

Other models?

Posted by jim at January 19, 2005 11:20 PM