TY - CHAP

T1 - Speaking of Terror

T2 - Challenging Norms of Rhetorical Citizenship in Danish Public Discourse

AU - Villadsen, Lisa Storm

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - The notion of rhetorical citizenship is introduced and its relevance to rhetorical studies suggested through a reading of a contemporary case of political discourse. An examination of critical reactions to two controversial statements illustrates how disappointed expectations to leading figures’ public statements led to criticism of their enactment of citizenship and questioning of their rhetorical agency. The overall claim is that the case suggest that an underdeveloped understanding of and appreciation of rhetoric’s role in public deliberation can have detrimental effects to such deliberation, including active or more indirect exclusion of particular points of view, deferral of certain discussions, and a less tolerant debate culture. It is suggested that public, political debate would benefit from increased attention to, and tolerance of, various manifestations of rhetorical practice, e.g. by combating essentializing argumentation that equates dissent with otherness and embracing a view of debate as productive, not destabilizing for the community. The concept of rhetorical citizenship may be one avenue for such development by virtue of its attention to various modes of enactment and more contextually informed underlying normative principles.

AB - The notion of rhetorical citizenship is introduced and its relevance to rhetorical studies suggested through a reading of a contemporary case of political discourse. An examination of critical reactions to two controversial statements illustrates how disappointed expectations to leading figures’ public statements led to criticism of their enactment of citizenship and questioning of their rhetorical agency. The overall claim is that the case suggest that an underdeveloped understanding of and appreciation of rhetoric’s role in public deliberation can have detrimental effects to such deliberation, including active or more indirect exclusion of particular points of view, deferral of certain discussions, and a less tolerant debate culture. It is suggested that public, political debate would benefit from increased attention to, and tolerance of, various manifestations of rhetorical practice, e.g. by combating essentializing argumentation that equates dissent with otherness and embracing a view of debate as productive, not destabilizing for the community. The concept of rhetorical citizenship may be one avenue for such development by virtue of its attention to various modes of enactment and more contextually informed underlying normative principles.

M3 - Book chapter

SN - 9789087280994

SP - 407

EP - 421

BT - Bending Opinion

A2 - van Haaften, Ton

A2 - Jansen, Henrike

A2 - de Jong, Jaap

A2 - Koetsenruijter, Willem

PB - Leiden University Press

ER -