annotate the course syllabus. Identify anything you thought worked well, as well as anything that could be improved. Be as specific as possible! Wherever you can, include expalanations and add concrete, practical suggestions regarding readings, assigments, overall structure, and anything else that might make this course more effective in the future.

What Is this Course About? This course examines recent developments in rhetorical theory, criticism, and practice. It is designed to familiarize students with the current state of the field in the context of contemporary cultural, social, political, and economic currents. The central aim of the course is to present rhetorical thinking as an ongoing struggle to develop timely critical tools for understanding and productively engaging contemporary practices of public communication and their role in shaping current social, political and cultural conditions. By examining recent controversies in rhetorical studies, and by investigating concrete instances of rhetorical action in public life and popular culture, the course poses and explores a series of urgent practical questions about what it means to live together today. What Am I Learning Here? 1. To describe the rhetorical character of contemporary public culture 2. To explain some currently influential theories of rhetoric 3. To pose theoretically-informed critical questions about contemporary public culture 4. To analyze instances of public communication from a rhetorical perspective. What Am I Reading in this Course? All reading materials to be distributed via Blackboard. What Do I Have To Do For a Grade In This Course? 1. Come to class: 100+ points Each day you come to class earns you 10 points. Each additional day of attendance earns extra points. 2. Participation: 6 x 50 points = 300 points Early in the semester I will place you randomly in a group of 4-5 students. For every course module, each group will carry out a task based on the module topic and post the results to Blackboard. 3. Unit Quizzes: 6 x 100 points = 500 points At the conclusion of each course module, there will be a brief quiz consisting of 20-25 questions. 4. Keywords: 4 x 25 points = 100 points Drawing from the assigned readings, you will contribute 4 keywords to the course Glossary, providing a definition explaining how the term is used in rhetorical scholarship at least one course text in which the term plays a central role a brief explanation of the terms significance for rhetorical criticism FAQ: OMG! My Computer/Dog/Roommate Deleted/Ate/Stole My Work! What Do I Do? Stuff happens! Computers, Wi-Fi routers, e-mail, clocks, vehicles, and nuclear reactors all break down, so dont be surprised when 1) some device stops working, and 2) I tell you that you should have planned ahead. Dont let technology get between you and the grade you deserve. But What if I Cant Meet the Deadline? Late assignments are subject to a 5% penalty for each day after the due date. Typically, a one-day late assignment that earns an A will receive an A-, and so on. If you know in advance that you will have difficulty meeting a deadline, let me know so that we can discuss the reasons. Extraordinary circumstances may warrant an extension, but only with advance notice. What If I Cant Make It To Class? Attendance represents a significant portion of your grade, and its the easiest way to earn points in the course. Try to collect as many of these points as you can by showing up early and often. What If I Have Special Needs? Students with disabilities may be eligible for a reasonable accommodation to enable them to participate fully in courses at Baruch. If you feel you may be in need of an accommodation, please contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at (646) 3124590. For additional information: www.baruch.cuny.edu/facultyhandbook/DisabilitiesInformation.htm Can I Use My Smartphone During Class? In a word, no. The use of cell phones is not permitted under any circumstances. They divert attention from our classroom tasks. And its disrespectful to everyone else in the room. Accordingly, each unauthorized use of electronic equipment during class will result in an unexcused absence. Are the Syllabus and Schedule Carved In Stone? No, theyre digital computer files. Thats why I can make changes to them if necessary or prudent. Reasons for change may include, but are not limited to, the need to accommodate unexpected events, technical or procedural problems, and/or pedagogical adjustments. Academic Integrity and Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a serious offense. Baruch College defines plagiarism as the act of presenting another persons ideas, research or writing as your own, including: Copying another persons actual words without the use of quotation marks and footnotes. Presenting another persons ideas or theories in your own words without crediting them. Presenting work generated by an AI algorithm as your own Using information that is not considered common knowledge without noting the source. Failure to acknowledge collaborators on homework. All of your work must be your own and prepared specifically for this course. You may not submit material previously or concurrently submitted by you or anyone else for a grade in any other course, whether at Baruch or elsewhere. If you use work authored or created by someone else, you must provide a citation for reference, and use quotation marks to indicate what you have taken. If you use anothers theory and are paraphrasing it (putting it into your own words), cite the original source. If you take materials from the Internet, provide a full URL and the date on which you last viewed it. Any course assignment in which plagiarism occurs will receive a failing grade. In addition, I am required by College policy to submit a report of suspected academic dishonesty to the Dean of Students. This report becomes part of your permanent file. You must be familiar with Baruch Colleges policies on academic integrity, which can be found at: www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic/academic_honesty.html. COM 3066Rhetorical Theory & Criticism PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE SPRING 2023 Week 1: Introduction W 1/25: Course Introduction UNIT 1: FOUNDATIONS Week 2: What Is Rhetoric, and Why Does It Matter? W 2/1: Keith & Lundberg, What Is Rhetoric? Brummett, Rhetoric and the Rhetorical Tradition UNIT 2: RHETORIC IN/AS DEMOCRACY Week 3: Citizenship Then W 2/8: Ober, Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens, Chapter 1 Week 4: Citizenship Now W 2/15: Allen, Talking to Strangers, Chapters 5 & 6 Terrill, Unity and Duality in Barack Obamas A More Perfect Union Week 5: Citizens, Audiences and Publics W 2/22: Butsch, The Citizen Audience, 1-19; 141-144 Warner, Publics and Counterpublics, 65-124 UNIT 3: RHETORIC IN/AS HEGEMONIC STRUGGLE Week 6: Rhetorical Materialism W 3/1: Brummett, Marxist Criticism Week 7: Confronting Ideology W 3/8: Foss, Ideological Criticism Week 8: Hegemony & Critical Rhetoric W 3/15: Bocock, Hegemony, pp. 21-37 McKerrow/Kuyper, Critical Rhetoric Week 9: Rhetorical Invisibility W 3/22: Chidester, May the Circle Stay Unbroken Kelly, We Are Not Free UNIT 4: POPULISM, PROPAGANDA & DEMAGOGUERY Week 10: Reasons and Stories W 3/29: Roberts-Miller, Demagoguery and Democracy Kelly, Donald J. Trump and the Rhetoric of Ressentiment Week 11: Spring Break W 4/5: PassoverNo Class Week 12: Spring Break W 4/12: No Class UNIT 5: RHETORIC OF PROTEST & SOCIAL MOVEMENTS Week 13: Challenging Rhetorical Frames W 4/19: Miller, Indians, Braves, and Redskins Hill, SlutWalk as Perifeminist Response Week 14: Rhetoric of the Youth Climate Movement W 4/26: Houdek & Phillips, Rhetoric and the Temporal Turn: Race, Gender, Temporalities Nordensvard & Ketola, Populism as an Act of Storytelling UNIT 6: RHETORIC AND NETWORKED PUBLICS Week 15: Speaking Freely W 5/3: Bejan, Two Concepts of Free Speech Jordan, Profanity from the heart as exceptional civic rhetoric Week 16: Rhetorical Circulations W 5/10: Olman, The Because Science Meme as Virtual Commonplace Borda & Marshall, Creating a space to #SayHerName