This article offers an alternative account of the history of both rhetorical traditions and foren... more This article offers an alternative account of the history of both rhetorical traditions and forensics (speech and debate pedagogy) in early modern Japan. Arising at the intersection of Western notions of argumentation and debate pedagogy and the political conditions at the time, voluntary associations called minken kessha made invaluable contributions not only to promote democracy but also to shape the forensic tradition and the popularization of public discourse in early modern Japan. Based on historical evidence already collected and archived, this article seeks to explore the history of kessha as forensic organizations (places of public speaking and debate). The article also offers a particular analytical focus on the transformation of their politico-discursive activities as they were engaged in argumentation, not only by peers but also in the public sphere.
This Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Soci... more This Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Scholarship at UWindsor. It has been
Dana Anderson, Indiana University Samantha Baskind, Cleveland State University René Agustı́n De l... more Dana Anderson, Indiana University Samantha Baskind, Cleveland State University René Agustı́n De los Santos, University of California, Santa Barbara Satoru Aonuma, Kanda University of International Studies Bernardo Attias, California State, North Ridge Kevin Barge, University of Georgia Samantha Baskind, Cleveland State University Srimati Basu, Depauw University Ben Bates, Ohio University Geoffrey Baym, University of North Carolina, Greensboro Dan Brouwer, Arizona State University Barry Brummett, University of Texas Axel Bruns, Queensland University of Technology Thomas Burkholder, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Monica Casper, Vanderbilt University Grace Chang, University of California, Santa Barbara Maurice Charland, Concordia University James Cherney, Miami University Robin Means Coleman, University of Michigan David Coogan, Virginia Commonwealth University Sohail Daulatzai, University of California, Irvine Kevin DeLuca, University of Georgia Anne Demo, Syracuse University Carolyn...
The aim of this paper is to (re)articulate the relationship between "critical rhetoric"... more The aim of this paper is to (re)articulate the relationship between "critical rhetoric" and Stephen Toulmin's conception of practical reasoning. Among students of rhetoric, particularly those who work in communication departments in (US) American universities, the project of reason, once cherished as central to the 20 century Renaissance of argument, seems to have become outdated and irrelevant. With the recent “critical turn,” reason was especially given a bad name in the field of rhetoric. Some rhetoricians have even joined reason’s Other, dissociating themselves from the project of reason as much as possible. The paper contends that the difference between critical reasoners and rhetoricians is not so substantial as it may look. It boils down to a question of emphasis, not substance, in our practice of practical discourse. Drawing on Toulmin’s idea of the “modernity,” “reasonableness,” and “warrant-establishing,” the paper seeks to call for argument and rhetorical sc...
This article offers an alternative account of the history of both rhetorical traditions and foren... more This article offers an alternative account of the history of both rhetorical traditions and forensics (speech and debate pedagogy) in early modern Japan. Arising at the intersection of Western notions of argumentation and debate pedagogy and the political conditions at the time, voluntary associations called minken kessha made invaluable contributions not only to promote democracy but also to shape the forensic tradition and the popularization of public discourse in early modern Japan. Based on historical evidence already collected and archived, this article seeks to explore the history of kessha as forensic organizations (places of public speaking and debate). The article also offers a particular analytical focus on the transformation of their politico-discursive activities as they were engaged in argumentation, not only by peers but also in the public sphere.
This paper explores the possible rapprochement between Marxism and argumentation attempted in Pro... more This paper explores the possible rapprochement between Marxism and argumentation attempted in Proletarian Elocution, a 1930 Japanese publication. Against a Western Marxist commonplace that "(a)s far as rhetoric is concerned,… a Marxist must be in a certain sense a Platonist" (Eagleton, 1981), the paper discusses how this work seeks to takes advantage of the inquiry and advocacy dimensions of argumentation for the Marxian strategy of "agitprop" and rearticulate it as part of civic virtues.
This article discusses the reemergence of plebian social movements in contemporary Japanese socie... more This article discusses the reemergence of plebian social movements in contemporary Japanese society. After a period of hibernation, demonstrations and rallies have again become part of Japanese political life. From a participatory critical-rhetorical perspective, the article addresses issues concerning the practice of such critical public communication by taking a close look at verbal and extraverbal dimensions of the following social movement rhetorics: the rhetoric against nuclear power, the rhetoric against the government’s proposal for constitutional revision and hawkish defense policy, and the rhetoric against racist and hate rallies. The article concludes that this reemergence of street politics signifies the rebirth of Japanese public address that deserves serious scholarly attention in the field of international rhetorical and communication studies.
This article offers an alternative account of the history of both rhetorical traditions and foren... more This article offers an alternative account of the history of both rhetorical traditions and forensics (speech and debate pedagogy) in early modern Japan. Arising at the intersection of Western notions of argumentation and debate pedagogy and the political conditions at the time, voluntary associations called minken kessha made invaluable contributions not only to promote democracy but also to shape the forensic tradition and the popularization of public discourse in early modern Japan. Based on historical evidence already collected and archived, this article seeks to explore the history of kessha as forensic organizations (places of public speaking and debate). The article also offers a particular analytical focus on the transformation of their politico-discursive activities as they were engaged in argumentation, not only by peers but also in the public sphere.
This Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Soci... more This Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Scholarship at UWindsor. It has been
Dana Anderson, Indiana University Samantha Baskind, Cleveland State University René Agustı́n De l... more Dana Anderson, Indiana University Samantha Baskind, Cleveland State University René Agustı́n De los Santos, University of California, Santa Barbara Satoru Aonuma, Kanda University of International Studies Bernardo Attias, California State, North Ridge Kevin Barge, University of Georgia Samantha Baskind, Cleveland State University Srimati Basu, Depauw University Ben Bates, Ohio University Geoffrey Baym, University of North Carolina, Greensboro Dan Brouwer, Arizona State University Barry Brummett, University of Texas Axel Bruns, Queensland University of Technology Thomas Burkholder, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Monica Casper, Vanderbilt University Grace Chang, University of California, Santa Barbara Maurice Charland, Concordia University James Cherney, Miami University Robin Means Coleman, University of Michigan David Coogan, Virginia Commonwealth University Sohail Daulatzai, University of California, Irvine Kevin DeLuca, University of Georgia Anne Demo, Syracuse University Carolyn...
The aim of this paper is to (re)articulate the relationship between "critical rhetoric"... more The aim of this paper is to (re)articulate the relationship between "critical rhetoric" and Stephen Toulmin's conception of practical reasoning. Among students of rhetoric, particularly those who work in communication departments in (US) American universities, the project of reason, once cherished as central to the 20 century Renaissance of argument, seems to have become outdated and irrelevant. With the recent “critical turn,” reason was especially given a bad name in the field of rhetoric. Some rhetoricians have even joined reason’s Other, dissociating themselves from the project of reason as much as possible. The paper contends that the difference between critical reasoners and rhetoricians is not so substantial as it may look. It boils down to a question of emphasis, not substance, in our practice of practical discourse. Drawing on Toulmin’s idea of the “modernity,” “reasonableness,” and “warrant-establishing,” the paper seeks to call for argument and rhetorical sc...
This article offers an alternative account of the history of both rhetorical traditions and foren... more This article offers an alternative account of the history of both rhetorical traditions and forensics (speech and debate pedagogy) in early modern Japan. Arising at the intersection of Western notions of argumentation and debate pedagogy and the political conditions at the time, voluntary associations called minken kessha made invaluable contributions not only to promote democracy but also to shape the forensic tradition and the popularization of public discourse in early modern Japan. Based on historical evidence already collected and archived, this article seeks to explore the history of kessha as forensic organizations (places of public speaking and debate). The article also offers a particular analytical focus on the transformation of their politico-discursive activities as they were engaged in argumentation, not only by peers but also in the public sphere.
This paper explores the possible rapprochement between Marxism and argumentation attempted in Pro... more This paper explores the possible rapprochement between Marxism and argumentation attempted in Proletarian Elocution, a 1930 Japanese publication. Against a Western Marxist commonplace that "(a)s far as rhetoric is concerned,… a Marxist must be in a certain sense a Platonist" (Eagleton, 1981), the paper discusses how this work seeks to takes advantage of the inquiry and advocacy dimensions of argumentation for the Marxian strategy of "agitprop" and rearticulate it as part of civic virtues.
This article discusses the reemergence of plebian social movements in contemporary Japanese socie... more This article discusses the reemergence of plebian social movements in contemporary Japanese society. After a period of hibernation, demonstrations and rallies have again become part of Japanese political life. From a participatory critical-rhetorical perspective, the article addresses issues concerning the practice of such critical public communication by taking a close look at verbal and extraverbal dimensions of the following social movement rhetorics: the rhetoric against nuclear power, the rhetoric against the government’s proposal for constitutional revision and hawkish defense policy, and the rhetoric against racist and hate rallies. The article concludes that this reemergence of street politics signifies the rebirth of Japanese public address that deserves serious scholarly attention in the field of international rhetorical and communication studies.
Our 2017 Alta Conference Paper (with Kazuhiko Seno; still a draft). Not to be cited or referenced... more Our 2017 Alta Conference Paper (with Kazuhiko Seno; still a draft). Not to be cited or referenced yet welcome comments and critiques.
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