Public oratory boasts a long and revered history in Great Britain, with numerous British orators etching their (in)famous rhetorical masterpieces into the collective memory of the nation. However, a stark imbalance exists between those trained in the art of persuasion and those who are not. While a formal education in rhetoric is commonplace for many of Britain’s political and media elite, its persuasive powers are largely unknown to the majority of Britons.
Contrary to the perception of political oratory as mere ‘fancy talk’, its significance extends far beyond aesthetic appeal. Through political speeches, rhetors strive to shape their audiences' interpretation of events. Successful orators align their version of reality with that of their audiences, exerting a tangible influence on their social behavior and actions. Particularly in the era of mass communication and social media, the pervasive impact of the ‘art of persuasion’ is unmistakable. In the contemporary political climate marked by the prevalence of misinformation, a grounding in ‘rhetoric’ becomes indispensable, and acquiring the skill set to identify, analyze, and evaluate rhetorical acts of persuasion is paramount for fostering a functional democratic society.
In this seminar, we will embark on an investigation of the changes and continuities of rhetorical strategies found in British political speeches, spanning from the post-war period to the debates surrounding Brexit and beyond. Adopting a comprehensive approach, our methods will integrate aspects of classical rhetoric with concepts from British cultural studies and insights offered by British rhetoric studies. This inclusive outlook allows us to consider the cultural dimension of rhetoric, shedding light on the broader ideological impact of the art of persuasion.
- Kursleiter/in: Matthias Göhrmann