Rhetoric as Theory and Method in the Study of Politics

Date: 1 March 2013, UEA, Norwich

A one-day workshop open to postgraduate research students from the University of East Anglia and other universities

Researchers in politics often make use of political speeches, pamphlets, manifestos, policy documents and so on. But how exactly should we use these texts? This one-day workshop will explore the advantages of ‘rhetorical political analysis’, conceiving and analysing all of these as forms of instances of argument and persuasion. The morning session will include discussion of key concepts and terms in rhetorical theory and their relationship to related themes in political theory and analysis including language, discourse and ideology. The afternoon session will concentrate on the practical aspects of analysis with particular focus on recent speeches by David Cameron and Ed Miliband.

This event is organised by the School of Political, Social and International Studies at the University of East Anglia as part of the Consortium for the Humanities and the Arts Southeast England (CHASE). Tea, coffee and lunch will be provided.

Session Leaders
Prof. Alan Finlayson, PSI and Prof. James Martin (Goldsmiths)

See web site for further details and enrolment (click this line): enrol by 30 Jan 2013

Conference: Do Speeches Still Matter?

Bournemouth University Thursday/Friday 20-21 September 2012

Organised by the UK Speechwriters Guild and the European Speechwriters Network

For full details, tickets and programme, see the web site:

http://speechesmatter.eventbrite.co.uk/

 

Conference: Conservative Orators from Stanley Baldwin to David Cameron

The University of Huddersfield, 9 November 2012

Organised by Richard Hayton and Andrew Crines

The aim of this conference is to investigate the delivery of Conservative orators across recent history. This will examine their constributions towards the advancement of conservatism within their own generational contexts. Utilising devices of rhetorical and oratorical analysis, this conference will contribute towards Conservative scholarship.

For details, see the web site at:

http://psaconservatism.blogspot.co.uk/p/conservative-orators.html

Teaching Speaking: the academic and the vocational

Teaching Speaking: the academic and the vocational

An HEA day-long workshop sponsored by the Department of Politics, Goldsmiths, University of London

Organised by James Martin (Goldsmiths) and  Alan Finlayson (UEA)

17 May 2012, 10am-5pm at Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross SE14 6NW

Politics is the practice of argument and debate, of clarifying disagreement and achieving persuasion around controversial questions of power and resource. Oratory and spoken communication therefore remain central components of all political activity, even in an age of text and technology. The craft of the professional speechwriter offers a vital, yet largely untapped source of knowledge for teachers of politics, particularly those interested in enhancing the transferable skills of their students. As the practical benefits and employability implications of HE increasingly takes centre-stage, this link between the academic and the vocational dimensions of political communication invites further attention.

This workshop explores how speechwriting and speechcraft might be incorporated into the politics curriculum. It asks what teachers can do to improve the communicative skill set of students of politics and how knowledge of speech performance might expand students’ grasp of politics as an activity. The workshop brings together professional practitioners and teachers of political speech to consider the different expectations and possibilities in teaching the art of speaking. It will reflect on the pedagogic goals of such teaching in light of the vocational opportunities they may support. The workshop also aims to clarify a broad range of guiding principles to assist the development of speech as part of the HE politics curriculum.

Speakers include: Max Atkinson (professional speechwriter); Professor Alan Finlayson (UEA);  Dr Edwin Bacon (Birkbeck, UoL); Dr Johan Siebers (UCLAN); Dr Matthew Wyman (Keele)

(see the full advert at http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/detail/2012/seminars/disciplines/DW136)

There are 30 places available. First come, first served: but you must book your place in advance. The event is free (and includes lunch — let me know if you are a veggie or have special requirements. It’s only sandwiches, mind). The HEA can fund travel for UK scholars if you contact them IN ADVANCE. See the HEA web site (above).

To book, please contact James Martin (j.martin@gold.ac.uk)

PSA 2012. Report

Thanks to everyone who participated in or attended the panels at the Belfast PSA this year. The two panels were very well attended and the papers were very interesting indeed with some excellent questions from the floor. Belfast was a marvellous and welcoming  city in which to host the conference.

The next call for panels and papers for PSA 2013 (in Cardiff) will be coming around September this year so do keep a look out for that. Indeed, get on the mailing list and you won’t miss it!

The first proper business meeting for the group was also held  at the PSA Conference (I hope to put the minutes up later). The big news is that Dr Judi Atkins has become the group’s new secretary, while Alan Finlayson remains the Treasurer and James Martin the Convenor.

Rhetoric Society of Europe

A new Rhetoric Society of Europe will launch its website on 15 Dec 2011. You can visit the site at the following address: http://www.eusorhet.eu

PSA Conference 2012: two Rhetoric and Politics panels

The annual PSA conference, to be held in Belfast on 3-5 April 2012, will host two panels from the Rhetoric and Politics specialist group! The panels are:

• Rhetoric and the Coalition Government: Session 2 (Tuesday 3 April 2012, 14:00-15:30)
• Rhetoric and British Politics: Session 3 (Tuesday 3 April 2012, 16:00-17:30)

Check out the PSA Conference web site for further details.