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last.updated 9.18.05

Digital Rhetoric

Purpose

Digital rhetoric can be defined as the art of understanding how computer technologies shape the available means of persuasion, the practice of communication (as well as the resulting artifacts) with and without these mediating tools. As a result, digital rhetoricians often examine the effects of a digital mode of delivery.

While digital rhetoric is arguably mostly about delivery, the influence of electronic media also reshapes how we consider other principles. In our examination of Joanne Lebert's discussion of Amnesty International's digital presence, we will discuss how a shift in delivery (from print and analog to digital) has affected this organization's ability to construct (and control) their own character (and credibility), as well as their ability to move their audience.

Establishing Our Foundation

We will begin class with an activity to make sure that we understand the concepts of ethos and pathos. We will watch two recent commercials asking people to contribute money to Hurricane Relief and address the following:

• What is ethos?
• What is pathos?
• What argument is being made in each of these commercials?
• Which one affects you most? why?
• How are ethos and pathos being used in the respective commercials?

Background

Digital Rhetoric

• the art of understanding how computer technologies shape the available means of persuasion, the practice of communication (as well as the resulting artifacts) with and without these mediating tools
• very multidisciplinary field of study; often associated with rhetoric, composition, communication, professional writing, media studies, cultural studies, anthropology, psychology, and computer science
• studies how multiple digital writing technologies are used for communication, some include, word processing, email, the web, slideware, spread sheets, courseware, MOOs/MUDs, chatrooms, IM, text messaging, blogs, new media programs (e.g., images, video, music)
• major questions include:
  • who has access to digital writing technologies? which ones?
  • what is the democratic potential of digital writing technologies?
  • who is "the person" we communicate with through the technology?

Joanne Lebert

• currently a Ph.D. student in York University's social anthropology program
• serves as the Urgent Action Coordinator for the English-speaking Canadian division of Amnesty International
• has written Information and Communications Technologies and Human Rights Advocacy: The Case of Amnesty International in Civil Society in the Information Age: NGO's, Coalitions and Relationships
• holds a graduate diploma in refugee and migration studies (York U., 1999) and advanced degree in social anthropology (MA, York U., 1999)

Presentation

Meredith, Greg

Discussion

• What is Lebert's argument about writing technologies?
• What digital writing technologies does Lebert examine?
• How do these technologies affect delivery?
• How do these technologies affect how various stakeholder develop their ethos?
• what audiences does this organization try to persuade? how do the writing technologies facilitate or hinder this process?

Activity

Read through the following example of spam (i.e., internet junkmail) as if this was the content of a message that was sent to you; be prepared to address the following questions:

• What is the writers' argument?
• In what way is this argument effective or ineffective (think about this in terms of the rhetorical principles, especially ethos, pathos, logos, and delivery)?
• As with Lebert's concerns, how has features of this document's digital delivery affected the audiences' receptions of the argument?