Plato called it "the art of winning the soul by discourse"; Aristotle practiced it by "discovering in any particular case all of the available means of persuasion";
Cicero theorized it as "one great art comprised of five lesser arts: inventio, dispositio, elocutio, memoria, and ponunciatio"; and Demosthenes trained for it by
speaking with pebbles in his mouth.

Rhetoric is an ancient idea which has animated civic life and scholarly study for more than two dozen centuries. This course introduces rhetorical theory and
practice from the classical period to the present, including an overview of core issues, vocabularies, and concepts in rhetorical theory; a discussion of methods
for teaching and training in rhetoric; opportunities to put rhetorical theory and analysis into practice; and a consideration of the social importance of studying
rhetoric in the contemporary moment.

Because we will consider both the consequences of rhetoric, as well as how rhetoric might be deployed as a tool for social action and intervention, coursework will
ask students to build their own rhetorical toolboxes. We will begin by exploring and experimenting with theories of invention, imitation, elocution,
identification, genre, and visual and new media, to name a few. Students will also have the opportunity to identify, explore, and respond to the rhetorical
contours of salient public issues of their choosing.

This course will be particularly beneficial to individuals interested in rhetorical studies, rhetoric and composition, and graduate-level English work, but also to
those entering professions such as law, education, business, public relations, and journalism.