Specialization—

Rhetoric / Persuasion

Rhetoric is the art of effective communication, often connected to persuasion. The rhetorical arts account for context, audience, time, genre, style, and other factors to calculate optimal connections with specific readers or listeners. In short, by thinking more rhetorically, one can communicate more rhetorically.

Writing Arts

Although speaking is a crucial means of communication, writing can be more difficult. After all, a writer often cannot instantaneously react and adjust to his or her audience in real time. Accordingly, effective writing requires deliberate foresight before a composition goes live. Such foresight requires rhetorical vigilance.

Contemplation

The vita contemplativa or the contemplative life can help cultivate attitudes and habits that outwardly manifest themselves in actions. For our purposes, the vita contemplativa can help guide effective communication. It establishes a deeper and stronger foundation to build rhetorically-minded speaking and writing habits.

Storytelling Analysis

As we pursue excellence in our own communication, we can dissect other people’s storytelling into smaller parts so we can better understand how and why it operates. Overall, storytelling analysis demands the deep work of close reading. It offers us the chance to optimize our own storytelling and our connections to others.

Optimizing Instruction

Instructive communication is more involved than conveying information. Instruction strives to pass along—and cooperatively think through—knowledge. Sometimes we may teach receptive readers or listeners; other times we may teach resistant readers or listeners. Regardless—we can adjust our rhetorical strategies to connect with diverse audiences through instruction.