Invitational Rhetoric Research Articles

On the Ethics of Mediating Embodied Vulnerability to Violence

Media ethics has long been haunted by the question of representing human beings’ vulnerability to violence. While journalism and photojournalism have an obligation to report on the realities of violence and suffering in the world, the “spectacle of suffering” is fraught with ethical dilemmas. In this essay, I seek to theorize the ethics of vulnerability to violence in media representation. As a starting point, I argue for the politics of embodiment as a generative process that constitutes differential vulnerabilities. I move then to consider the way embodied vulnerabilities play out in the media, as exemplified by recent events such as the Black Lives Matter and MeToo movements as well as in times of war, from Vietnam to, more recently, Ukraine and Israel/Palestine. This leads to considerations of spectatorship: who looks and who is looked at? How are these relations of gazing related to the vectors of social and geopolitical power? Are images of embodied vulnerability simply media spectacles that reinforce power hierarchies, or are they powerful prosocial messages that might mobilize humanitarian activism? To address these epistemic questions, I propose that the feminist ethics of care encompasses an invitational rhetoric that can guide media praxis. Care ethics is aligned with various religious epistemologies, and because of that, I argue for it as an umbrella framework that has application in a variety of national and cultural contexts.

Sonja K. Foss: Invitational Rhetoric as a Feminist Challenge to the Rhetorical Tradition

In this essay, Sonja K. Foss is interviewed by Helene A. Shugart about invitational rhetoric, a form of rhetoric rooted in feminist principles that challenges the classical rhetorical tradition’s focus on persuasion. She begins by describing key events that led to her interest in both rhetoric and feminism and notes the feminist and rhetorical contexts in which invitational rhetoric developed. She explains the key tenets and assumptions of invitational rhetoric and its reception in the communication discipline and provides some real world applications of the theory. She offers another example of a project in which she integrates feminism and rhetoric – her theorizing of two paradigms of change – and concludes by suggesting how she applies in her own life some of the major concepts that emerged from her integration of feminism and rhetoric.

Are Zhuzi contentious? A rhetorical investigation of speech/word radicals in ancient Chinese texts

Abstract In communication, rhetors are inclined to employ contentious rhetorical modes designed to win or compete. Consequently, noncontentious rhetorical modes, such as invitational rhetoric, are underappreciated. This study fosters a better understanding of the rationale and possibility of noncontentious rhetorical modes rooted in texts by traditional Chinese intellectuals. We identify, classify, and interpret indigenous terms identified with speech/word radicals in nine Chinese philosophical classics across five major schools of thought in ancient China using a corpus-driven approach and key concepts of rhetorical studies to delineate the pattern, components, and modes of ancient Chinese rhetoric. The results show that (1) characters with speech/word radicals in ancient Chinese texts follow a pattern between rank and frequency; (2) basic components of rhetorical acts in ancient China can be described based on these terms, and characteristic rhetorical components are identified upon similarities and differences among five schools of thought; and (3) studying rhetorical modes of ancient Chinese rhetoric with speech/word radicals reveals that intellectuals in ancient China adopted both the contentious modes and the noncontentious modes of rhetoric. This study also demonstrates the possibility of studying semantic radicals in texts through digital methods to delineate ancient Chinese rhetoric.

Twitter as Limited Digital Rhetorical Forum � The Reproductive Rights Discourse Online

Rhetorical discourse has long been characterized by patriarchal systems, and this reality has persisted in online spaces. How might today’s scholar dissect and better understand the nature of online communities, specifically those that engage in women’s rights discourses? I argue that using Thomas Farrell’s notion of “rhetorical forum”, James P. Zappen’s outline for digital rhetorical theory, and Sonja K. Foss and Cindy L. Griffin’s feminist understanding of rhetorical practice, one can account for the current state of such discourses on Twitter. The patriarchal flaws that Foss and Griffin identify in traditional rhetoric can shed light on the negative aspects of online forums about women’s rights. Their suggestion for a feminist invitational rhetoric – one that employs “offering” instead of aggressive persuasion – may suggest actionable steps to improving the state of women’s rights discourses in online spaces. Perhaps these scholar’s frameworks are useful in developing implications for fostering more productive conversations in the oft-too-polarized communities of social medias.

NON-ARGUMENTATIVE RHETORIC: ASPECTS OF ZEN RHETORIC

This work aims to investigate on a meta-theoretical level the conceptual framework of rhetoric. Two spheres can be distinguished: the argumentative or persuasive rhetoric and the non-argumentative or non-persuasive rhetoric. Tracing the contemporary theoretical trends in the rhetoric field, we propose an alternative version of conceptualization. Using both the feminist invitational rhetoric and the comparative rhetoric, we propose an integrative synthesis. The alternative is found in the Buddhists texts and practices. Among the non-argumentative aspects of language we mention: negation, contradiction, silence, the story or the paradox. We believe that these elements of our daily life are worth emphasized and encompassed in an integrative perspective. It is possible not to evaluate.

Are you talking to me? – calling laypersons in the sphere of data economy ecosystems

PurposeData economy is pervasively present in our everyday lives. Still, ordinary laypersons' chances to genuine communication with other stakeholders are scarce. This paper aims to raise awareness about communication patterns in the context of data economy and initiate a dialogue about laypersons' position in data economy ecosystems.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper covers theory-based critical reflection with ethical- and empirical-based remarks. It provides novel perspectives both for research and stakeholder collaboration.FindingsThe authors suggest invitational rhetoric and Habermasian discourse as instruments towards understanding partnership between all stakeholders of the data economy to enable laypersons to transfer from subjectivity to the agency.Originality/valueThe authors provide (1) theory-based critical reflection concerning communication patterns in the data economy; (2) both ethical and empirical-based remarks about laypersons' position in data economy and (3) ideas for interdisciplinary research and stakeholder collaboration practices by using invitational rhetoric and rational discourse. By that, this paper suggests taking a closer look at communication practices and ethics alike in the data economy. Moreover, it encourages clear, rational and justified arguments between stakeholders in a respectful and equal environment in the data economy ecosystems.

Creating Choice and Building Consensus

According to a recent study by the Brookings Institution (Reeves & Krause, 2016), vasectomies are safer, more effective, and less expensive than most other voluntary sterilization methods. While the procedure has grown in popularity in recent years, particularly in the United Kingdom and Canada, it is much less common in the United States. This discrepancy can be attributed to both social (a perception that contraception is “women’s work”) and policy-­based factors (lack of coverage under the Affordable Care Act). This paper examines the role and extent to which invitational rhetoric could be a useful communicative lens for both partners and providers considering vasectomies, thus increasing access to and utilization of the safe, effective, and affordable procedure. In this policy brief, we suggest strategies for incorporating invitational rhetoric into health professions education curricula, patient counseling literature, and policy language in order to address some of the social stigma around the procedure.

A Study on Teaching College English Reading from the Perspective of Invitational Rhetoric in China

In this study, we explore the current situation of teaching college English reading in China and offer suggestions for improving it from the perspective of invitational rhetoric, mainly in terms of the three external conditions it advocates, safety, value and freedom, and its core, understanding. We distributed the questionnaire about the current situation of college English reading instruction to students majoring in English and analysed the results. Concerning the conditions of safety, the teachers respected students’ views, but the students were not confident and were unwilling to participate in teacher-student interaction; therefore, teachers should create a safe external environment so that students trust them. Concerning the conditions of value, teachers allowed students to fully express their perspectives, and they prepared and conducted classroom activities from the students’ standpoint. Regarding the conditions of freedom, students were selective in accepting teachers’ views and formulated their own views, but when their views differed from those of teachers, few presented their opinions; teachers must acknowledge their weaknesses at the right time so that students can realise disagreeing with teachers is not equal to offending them. Regarding the conditions of understanding, teachers no longer aimed to instill knowledge; they paid more attention to students’ understanding and encouraged them to form their own ideas while understanding students and accepting reasonable feedback.

Increasing trust and vaccine uptake: Offering invitational rhetoric as an alternative to persuasion in pediatric visits with vaccine-hesitant parents (VHPs)

Healthcare professionals are increasingly concerned about vaccine hesitancy, an exigency the World Health Organization named one of the ten threats to global health, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional rhetorical strategies (e.g., persuasion) remain the default to help increase vaccine uptake, despite mounting evidence such techniques may not improve uptake and could alienate families. We offer invitational rhetoric—in which people honor opposing viewpoints rather than trying to change behavior—as an alternative to improve trust and childhood vaccine uptake. We conducted a six-month, mixed methods case study of a small, urban, pediatric healthcare practice in the western United States we believed used invitational methods in discussions with vaccine-hesitant parents (VHPs). We administered pre- and post-visit surveys to families; audio recorded and transcribed their two-month well child checks (WCCs); and facilitated individual interviews with the providers. We analyzed the data looking for patterns in how providers and families use and view traditional persuasion as compared to invitational rhetoric and the effect each has on vaccine uptake, trust, and provider wellbeing. One hundred five (n = 105) families and six healthcare providers participated, with 35 families planning to receive fewer than the CDC-recommended number of vaccinations prior to their WCC. After their visit, however, 37% of VHPs increased their vaccine uptake compared to their pre-visit plans; 80% of VHPs selected top box scores for trust of their providers; and 85% of VHPs who chose to increase their vaccine uptake also selected top box trust scores. Our findings indicate invitational rhetoric may play a meaningful role in increasing vaccine uptake; sustaining or even improving a family’s trust in their provider; and positively impacting provider wellbeing. Further research is needed on the use of invitational rhetoric exclusively.

Invitational Rhetoric and Humor: Making Audience Laugh, Inviting Them to Think

Humor is a resource for discourse dealing with the taboo. Through the use of humor, comedians can practice uninhibited use of free public speech because audiences expect to laugh in these situations. This inherent expectation creates an environment where expression, objective opinions, and otherwise offensive ideas can be shared in a public space without fear of persecution or repercussion. As such, humor message creators are free to push social boundaries to create a discourse necessary to address what would be offensive. This freedom is important to this work because of how comedians approach the use of stereotypical ethnic humor. The culmination of audience expectation and openness creates an environment readily available for analysis of ethnic humor messages by researchers. Using the lens of Invitational Rhetoric, we uncover rhetorical messages embedded in the humor that work to challenge negative stereotypes about identity.

Memorializing Senator McCain’s “Uncivil Tongue”: Invitational Rhetoric and the Problem of Confrontation and Violence

ABSTRACT The idealistic principles of civility undergirding the theory of invitation generally condemn the use of confrontational or violent rhetorical strategies. Such condemnation risks preventing marginalized communities from properly responding to injustice lest they face criticism for uncivil and immoral behavior and provides cover for elites, whose hegemonic power is already secure, to violate civility norms. In response, I argue that a rhetorical theory of civility should not generally invalidate violations of civility norms and should instead justify the occasional use of the uncivil tongue.

Linguistic elements of conversational human voice in online brand communication: Manipulations and perceptions

The conversational human voice (CHV) is an extensively studied and adopted communication style in online brand communication. However, in previous research the way in which CHV is operationalized differs considerably: the type and the number of linguistic elements used to establish a sense of CHV in online brand messages varies. Moreover, it is still unknown how CHV operationalizations contribute to consumers’ perceptions of CHV, which consequently could affect their evaluation regarding the message and the brand. In this paper, we addressed these issues by conducting an integrative literature review and a perception experiment, and consequently present a taxonomy of linguistic elements related to message personalization, informal speech, and invitational rhetoric that can be used to operationalize CHV systematically in future studies in online brand communication. Directions for future research and managerial implications are discussed.

From Lucifer to Jezebel: Invitational Rhetoric, Rhetorical Closure, and Safe Spaces in Feminist Sexual Discourse Communities

ABSTRACT This essay applies Craig Rood’s concept of rhetorical closure to the specific case study of the creation of feminist discourse communities to discuss sexuality. It looks at the editorial policies of two feminist discourse communities in order to more broadly analyze the ways that rhetorical closure operates constitutively along with invitational rhetoric. It connects these issues to past and current debates about censorship, echo chambers, safe spaces, and trigger warnings in order to show when and how rhetorical closure is intended to prevent harm. Like Rood, I do not resolve questions on distinguishing the effectiveness or ethics of rhetorical closure. Examining a radical feminist periodical of the nineteenth century and the twenty-first-century feminist blogosphere shows how invitational rhetoric works with and as rhetorical closure.

Invitational Rhetoric in Epistemic Practice

Over the last several decades there have been rapid advancements in treatment options available for infertility. Consequently, infertility has become a medicalized disease, which privileges a masculine epistemology. Problematically, this masculinist perception of infertility diminishes concern for the lived experiences of women living with infertility and ignores the many ways in which infertility manifests as a social condition. This study examines narratives of women diagnosed with infertility, gathered from online support groups. Through these narratives I introduces the concept of “invitational knowledge” as a means to understand how knowledge functions rhetorically to create space for discourses that deviate from the medicalized assumptions of infertility. Invitational knowledge highlights the epistemological roots of invitational rhetoric through adoption of a postmodern feminist epistemology and is characterized by five features: 1) rhetor agency; 2) emotional knowledge; 3) transformative discourse; 4) shared knowledge; and 5) asking questions rather than making judgments.

Toward an Invitational Andragogy: Articulating a Teaching Philosophy for the Andragogic Classroom

Students older than 25 years are a growing population on our campuses. However, separating these students and labeling them as “nontraditional” further isolates them from campuses that are already geared toward younger learners. This reflective essay explains the need for a philosophy of invitational andragogy—a classroom approach rooted in invitational rhetoric (S. Foss & Griffin, 1995) and Knowles’s assumptions about older learners (1980, 1984). While inviting transformation is important in all classrooms, it is especially important for older learners who often feel separated from the campus at large. To explain how an invitational approach to the andragogic classroom can be achieved, we identify opportunities to apply the strategic prongs of invitational rhetoric: (a) offering perspectives and (b) creating external conditions that promote safety, value, and freedom.

Qur'ān as a Hidden Academy for Learning Dialogic Exchange

The Qur’ān hosts numerous dialogues independent of its readers’ moral and ideological positions – a key source for renewed learning and understanding. Conventional readings of the Qur’ān rarely notice the subtle underlying linguistic features. Similarly, rote readings can narrow one’s capacity for renewed learning. As a result, the accustomed reader misses the profound moral lessons. To address this problem, I have analysed how the Qur’ān can be imagined as an open academy for learning dialogic exchange. This article’s thematic approach is inspired by heuristic modes of learning to ascertain the Qur’ān’s dialogic medium as a model of ‘invitational rhetoric.’
 The theories in this article create an inter-disciplinary framework. I used the Arabic word qawl (statement/assertion) as a primary linguistical index of dialogic exchange. I quantitatively surveyed two morphological derivatives of this word across the Qur’ānic text: qul (say, denoting God’s voice) and qālū (they said, plural in the past tense, denoting voices of the Other vis-à-vis God). These derivatives signify voices speaking from different yet interactive contexts.
 This article argues the Qur’ān’s down-to-earth guidance translates the notion of dialogue from an elitist noun concept into an interactive dialogic context. The Qur’ān’s dialogic medium illustrates its artistic elevation of dialogic exchanges at two levels: justice and iḥsān (excellence). To this end, I use content analysis to analyse emergent themes according to the three principles of invitational rhetoric. The outcomes of this analysis ascertained how the Qur’ān records multiple voices of dialogic exchange, which it accords with its aesthetic features.

“Keep Talking, I Keep Changing My Mind”: The Value of Invitational Rhetoric for Focus Group Research

This essay examines the unique place of focus groups within the recent turn to field methods in rhetorical studies and argues for a rhetorical theory of the action that takes place there. Using the design and data from a focus group study the authors conducted on ethical discussions of gene editing, it theorizes the group dynamics and rhetorical action of focus groups using Foss and Griffin’s theory of invitational rhetoric, and argues that an invitational approach may help scholars to better appreciate focus groups not only as a method of rhetorical studies but also as an original site of rhetorical action.

Re-membering comfort women: From on-screen storytelling and rhetoric of materiality to re-thinking history and belonging

ABSTRACT This essay aims to contribute to the development of invitational rhetorical theory, using the tragic and sobering story of “comfort women” as an illustrative case study. By focusing on the relatively recent mediated and special turns in the rhetorical studies, we propose a critical cultural analysis and eventual addendum of mediated texts as well as the rhetoric of materiality as essential means to understand and apply invitational rhetoric. Our project demonstrates how—in a socio-political context of cultural erasure and forgetting—material and visual messages serve as the most invitational modalities. The material and visual rhetoric intervene in the context of strategic amnesia, endurance, and as they center the voices and experiences that historically have been made completely subaltern. Utilizing a selection of artifacts of the rhetoric of materiality and pieces of media rhetoric, we demonstrate how those forms of invitational rhetoric create and encourage safe dialogical spaces for traditionally silenced, marginalized communities. Ultimately, we aim to demonstrate how the new understanding and utilization of invitational rhetoric can become a mechanism for social change and enable a shift in the public consciousness.

Promoting gender equality

Women’s rhetorical contributions have been overlooked in the field of rhetoric because the rhetorical tradition has a long history of excluding female or feminine ways of speaking and writing. It is also worth noting that the analyses of women’s writings have been restricted to the coverage of the feminist perspectives and not necessarily the domain of rhetoric and the analysis of their works of fiction. This has therefore, led to the realisation of a gap in the present paper regarding the examination of feminist rhetoric in literary studies. Through a rhetorical lens, this paper examined the arguments that demonstrate that women have immensely contributed to the liberation struggle in Namibia alongside men; hence, there is a need for equal acknowledgment. Based on the Aristotelian rhetorical theory, the study established how the arguments (logos) provided in Kaleni Hiyalwa’s novel, Meekulu’s Children, provide evidence that women indeed actively participated in the liberation struggle and how these proofs stir the readers’ emotions (pathos). Furthermore, the determination and willingness of characters (ethos) to collaborate with other characters to promote gender equality was examined. Invitational rhetoric was also used to determine whether the novel has promoted feminist principles of equality, self-determination and immanent value. The paper found that arguments can be made to provide evidence for feminist rhetorical analysis with regards to how Dila and his wife were murdered by the omakakunya; the raping of his wife, how Meekulu cooks for eendume domomufitu, and also how Kamati and Estela make seemingly insensible choices to run out of the country. As a result, these supportive arguments stimulate emotions as exemplified by the descriptions of the murder of Dila and his wife and how Ketja copes with the death of both parents, which stirs empathy from the readers. Moreover, the novel presents how the men and women of Elombe have been supportive of each other in good and bad times throughout the time of war thereby bringing to the fore views geared towards appreciating the African sense of Ubuntu. Lastly, the study determined that invitational rhetoric allows readers to participate in conversations in the novel through the use of rhetorical strategies like: emotional utterances, respect of different ideologies, and rhetorical questions.

Invitational Rhetoric between Parents and Adolescents: Strategies for Successful Communication

ABSTRACTSuccessful parent-adolescent communication is crucial to a young person’s well-being and development, but family communication during adolescence is particularly challenging. One type of conversation employs invitational rhetoric, which describes communication where the goal is not to persuade, but to exchange perspectives by creating an atmosphere that establishes safety, value, and freedom. Up to now invitational rhetoric has been used to understand public communication from a rhetorical perspective, but we apply this theory to family communication. To understand invitational rhetoric in families, participants (N = 113) completed a qualitative questionnaire about communication with their parents. Using the critical incident technique participants provided a detailed narrative about a time that they and a parent had a successful conversation about a difficult topic. The results provide a blueprint for understanding what young adults perceive as contributing to invitational conversations with their parents.