Theorizing rhetoric: A transatlantic perspective

Abstract

This article presents the results of a comparative study on the leading theories used in European and North American rhetorical research. The aim of the study was to examine European rhetorical theories on their own terms and their relations with North American rhetorical practice. Using a mixed-method approach, the study addressed normative, declarative, and pragmatic dimensions of unity and theoretical diversity in contemporary Western rhetorical research. Study findings supported the premise that a Western theoretical community of knowledge of rhetoric scholars exists in the midst of the plurality of rhetorical research. The combined findings reveal strengths and shortcomings of North American and European perspectives, indicating how each draws from and/or pushes back against ways of thinking suggested by the other.