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Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Speech and Rhetorical Studies

The Politicization Of Popular Culture: A Case Study In Reagan And Star Wars, Nathan A. Wingert Jan 2013

The Politicization Of Popular Culture: A Case Study In Reagan And Star Wars, Nathan A. Wingert

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This project examined the use of Ronald Reagan’s rhetoric, specifically the “Star Wars,” “Zero Option” and “Evil Empire” speeches. It answers the question: Why do we know SDI as Star Wars? It also The rationale for the study came from myriad sources, including the historical and political undertones of the Star Wars films and rhetorical criticism of other Reagan speeches. G. Thomas Goodnight’s analysis linked all three speeches together as a reformulation of wartime rhetoric, so that was the rationale for analyzing three speeches. After performing a rhetorical criticism using Burkean identification as the lens, there are several results: Reagan …


Lessons From Libya: A Situational Approach To The Generic Criticism Of President Obama's March 28, 2011 Address To The Nation On Libya, Amy L. Schumacher Jan 2012

Lessons From Libya: A Situational Approach To The Generic Criticism Of President Obama's March 28, 2011 Address To The Nation On Libya, Amy L. Schumacher

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Many scholars have called the utility of the generic method of rhetorical criticism into question. Adopting a situational approach to generic rhetorical criticism increases the value of the method considerably. By analyzing situational constituents (scene, purpose, agent, act, agency, and audience) surrounding a discourse, a critic gains a holistic understanding of that text. When coupled with generic comparisons - whether the critic proceeds inductively or deductively - he or she can then trace the recurrent rhetorical strategies across time and place and, simultaneously, highlight the elements unique to the particular rhetor and discourse. I demonstrate this approach through an analysis …


President Clinton's Crisis Rhetoric And The Post-Cold War World: A Dramatistic Perspective, Christopher R. Darr Jan 2000

President Clinton's Crisis Rhetoric And The Post-Cold War World: A Dramatistic Perspective, Christopher R. Darr

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Presidential rhetoric has become an important field of study for scholars. Political scientists as well as communication researchers have long been interested in the role of presidential speech. Particularly in the mass media age, what presidents say has a great influence on our nation’s domestic and foreign affairs (Ceaser, Thurow, Tulis, & Bessette, 1981). Presidents can communicate directly with the public using radio and television, and their words can be carried via journalists to the public through a variety of newspapers, magazines and other media outlets. The purposes of this presidential rhetoric are many: to inform the public of policy …