In this course, we will examine contemporary rhetorical theory by way of genre theory, which will enable us to examine rhetoric not only as a dimension of all discourse, but also as "the condition of our existence"—as integral to complex forms of social participation and organization. As typified rhetorical formations, we will study how genres work to organize and generate social practices, relations, and identities within systems of activity. We will begin the course by briefly reviewing contemporary rhetorical theory and then, out of this rhetorical framework, embark on an intensive introduction to genre theory and explore its claims that genres are not just ways we define and organize kinds of texts (genres as classification systems), but also ways we rhetorically define and organize kinds of social actions (genres as sites of action). Along the way, we will grapple with such questions as: What is/are rhetoric(s)? What is a rhetorical situation (and can there be such a thing as a non-rhetorical situation)? What is the relationship between social and rhetorical action, and to what extent does genre shape both? Where do genres exist and how do they relate to one another within genre systems? How do individuals resist genres, and how and why do genres change? We will examine how genre analysis enables us to inquire into and grapple with the above questions, which ultimately have to do with questions of power and cultural production, to which genres seems integral. Coursework will include presentations, a mid-term short essay, and a final research paper or its equivalent.