Reading and Writing for Civic Literacy: The Critical Citizen's Guide to Argumentative Rhetoric

By Donald Lazere

'Lazere's [book] is heaven-sent and will provide a crucial link in the chain of understanding how conflicts are structured and, most importantly, how they can be rationally addressed - a healthy antidote to the scepticism that has become so pervasive in academic life.' Alan Hausman, Hunter College This innovative book addresses the need for college students to develop critical reading, writing, and thinking skills for self-defence in the contentious arena of American civic rhetoric. In a groundbreaking reconception of composition theory, it presents a comprehensive critical perspective on American public discourse and practical methods for its analysis. Exercises following the text sections and readings help students understand the ideological positions and rhetorical patterns that underlie opposing viewpoints in current controversies - such as the growing inequality of wealth in America and its impact on the finances of college students - as expressed in paired sets of readings from the political left and right. Widely debated issues of whether objectivity is possible and whether there is a liberal or conservative bias in news and entertainment media, as well as in education itself, are foregrounded as topics for rhetorical analysis.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1594510857
• ISBN13: 9781594510854
• Release Date: February 2005
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 576 Pages
• Weight: 2.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 7.2" x 10.1"

Customer Reviews

simply wonderful

I found this book by accident, doing an inter-library loan request in the state of Penna. I teach english 8+9 and I wanted to do some research on propaganda. I was immediately impressed by the front cover overleaf which has a thirteen element checklist one should use when analyzing your own or others' arguments. The back coverleaf lists American Media, Journalists, and Commentators and sorts them according to their political philosphy. The list is very current. Surprisingly, the conversitives list is larger than the liberal. Most of the liberals on the list are quite obscure, for example,Todd Glitlen. The conservative list: Hannity, Coulter, Matalin seems to include many more notables. The book includes several sample student papers and a glossary of rhehtoic and critical thinking terms. The end of every chapter has many writing prompts a student could use for a deeper understanding of the examples of rhetoric in the various chapters. For a long time I've been wondering what propaganda techniques are being used on popular talk radio shows and faux news. This book has the answer. Usualy, I prefer paperback versions. But, with this, I'd go for the hardbound I think it is well worth buying. An interested person will get years of enjoyment studying the material presented.