WRIT 302 : Writing, Politics and Visual Rhetoric

This course will explore writing and communication through the broad conventions of “visual rhetoric.” Visual rhetoric has historically been found in a variety of disciplinary locations (art history, American studies, communication studies, English departments, rhetoric and composition programs, history programs, media and visual studies programs). In this course we will attempt to understand the political and ideological dimensions of visual rhetoric across a wide range of genres or media such as photography, graphic novels, works of art, architecture, films (fiction and documentary), advertisements, television, journalism, televised political speeches, and more. Students in this class may use selections from ancient rhetorical texts in conjunction with contemporary theoretical writings in their written work and oral presentations.