Catalog
Rhetoric
Professor Nero; Associate Professor Kelley-Romano; Assistant Professor Cavallero; Lecturer Hovden
Rhetoric is a civic and cultural art. Rhetoric's origins are at the invention of democracy in the ancient Greek polis. The Christian church maintained the foundational rhetoric texts during the Middle Ages and scholars rediscovered them during the Renaissance. Since then rhetoric has flourished as a fundamental aspect of modern democracy. At Bates, rhetoric is the study of the symbolic as it is enacted in the process of negotiation in culture, civil society, and history. The major teaches students to understand how citizens use the symbolic in processes of negotiation within democratic states.
Rhetoric is both performance and a field of study. Rhetoric as performance is the ability to fundamentally navigate in the public sphere as an agent. Traditionally successful agency has included skills in oratory, writing, and debating. As the public sphere has expanded, so have the skills needed for successful agency. Skills may now be in purely visual media such as film, television, and virtual worlds.
Argumentation and debate are traditional aspects of the practice and study of rhetoric, and have long been considered essential elements to a functioning public sphere. Bates has a storied history of excellence in debate, and students may study argumentation in courses or participate in competitive debate, or both. Through the Brooks Quimby Debate Council (BQDC), the Bates rhetoric program teaches students basic elements of rhetorical practice and theory and enriches discourse in the public sphere at the college.
The major in rhetoric offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of human communication. Students complete a series of core courses in rhetorical theory and criticism, history of public address, and film and television studies, complemented by courses on language, media, and communication drawn from the curricula of other departments. All students complete a senior thesis. More information on the rhetoric curriculum is available on the website (bates.edu/rhetoric).
Major Requirements
Students must choose a concentration in either rhetorical theory and criticism or screen studies. Students may count one Short Term course toward the major, unless they are completing the performance requirement, in which case, students may use two Short Term courses to satisfy the major requirements. Each of the major concentrations consists of eleven courses distributed as follows:Rhetorical Theory and Criticism.
1-3) Required core courses. All of the following:
RHET 100. What is Rhetoric?
RHET 120. Introduction to Screen Studies.
RHET 252. Rhetorical Theory.
4) Performance. One of the following:
RHET s16. Public Discourse.
RHET s17. Introduction to Argumentation.
RHET s40. Digital Video Production.
5-7) Public Sphere. Three of the following courses, at least one must be a 300-level seminar:
AA/RH 242. Passing/Trespassing.
RHET 265. The Rhetoric of Women's Rights.
RHET 273. Monday Morning Quarterbacking: The Rhetoric of Sports.
RHET 391A. The Rhetoric of Alien Abduction.
RHET 391B. Presidential Campaign Rhetoric.
8) National Screens. One of the following:
AA/RH 159. Cinema in Black and White: African American Presence and Absence in American Film.
AA/RH 162. White Redemption.
AA/RH 281. Black Pride and the 1970s.
RHET 220. Constructions of Italian American Men and Masculinities.
RHET 226. Minority Images in Hollywood Film.
RHET 260. Gay and Lesbian Images in Film.
RHET 391E. The Interracial Buddy Film.
RHET 391F. Bollywood.
RHET 391G. Immigration and Media.
RHET s22. The Cinema of John Ford.
RHET s30. Film Festivals and Digital Video Production.
RHET s40. Digital Video Production.
9-10) Two additional rhetoric-related courses, which, with department approval, may include courses taken in approved study-abroad programs or courses taken in other departments or programs at Bates.
11) RHET 457 or 458. Senior Thesis.
Screen Studies.
1-3) Required core courses. All of the following:
RHET 100. What is Rhetoric?
RHET 120. Introduction to Screen Studies.
RHET 240. Film Theory.
4) Performance. One of the following:
RHET s16: Public Discourse.
RHET s17: Introduction to Argumentation.
RHET s40: Digital Video Production.
5-7) National Screens. Three of the following courses, at least one must be a 300-level seminar:
AA/RH 159. Cinema in Black and White: African American Presence and Absence in American Film.
AA/RH 162. White Redemption.
AA/RH 281. Black Pride and the 1970s.
RHET 220. Constructions of Italian American Men and Masculinities.
RHET 226. Minority Images in Hollywood Film.
RHET 260. Gay and Lesbian Images in Film.
RHET 391E. The Interracial Buddy Film.
RHET 391F. Bollywood.
RHET 391G. Immigration and Media.
RHET s22. The Cinema of John Ford.
RHET s30. Film Festivals and Digital Video Production.
8) Public Sphere. One of the following:
AA/RH 242. Passing/Trespassing.
RHET 265. The Rhetoric of Women's Rights.
RHET 273. Monday Morning Quarterbacking: The Rhetoric of Sports.
RHET 391A. The Rhetoric of Alien Abduction.
RHET 391B. Presidential Campaign Rhetoric.
9-10) Two additional rhetoric-related courses, which, with department approval, may include courses taken in approved study-abroad programs or courses taken in other departments or programs.
11) RHET 457 or 458. Senior Thesis.
Pass/Fail Grading Option
Only one 100- or 200-level course may be taken pass/fail in fulfilling the major requirements.Minor in Rhetoric
The minor consists of six courses. A coherent program for each student's minor is designed in accord with the following guidelines and in consultation with a member of the rhetoric faculty who is chosen or appointed as the student's departmental advisor for the minor.The courses required for the minor in rhetoric include:
1) RHET 100. What is Rhetoric?
2)RHET 120. Introduction to Screen Studies.
3) One of the following:
AA/RE 159. Cinema in Black and White: African American Presence and Absence in American Film.
AA/RH 162. White Redemption: Cinema and the Co-optation of African American History.
AA/RH 242. Passing/Trespassing.
AA/RH 281. Black Pride and the 1970s.
RHET 220. Constructions of Italian American Men and Masculinities.
RHET 226. Minority Images in Hollywood Film.
RHET 273. Monday Morning Quarterbacking: The Rhetoric of Sports.
4) One of the following:
RHET 220. Constructions of Italian American Men and Masculinities.
RHET 260. Lesbian and Gay Images in Film.
RHET 265. The Rhetoric of Women's Rights.
5) One of the following:
RHET s16. Public Discourse.
RHET s17. Introduction to Argumentation.
RH/TH s40. Digital Video Production.
6) One topics seminar (391), including:
RHET 391A. The Rhetoric of Alien Abduction.
RHET 391B. Presidential Campaign Rhetoric.
RHET 391E. The Interracial Buddy Film.
RHET 391F. Bollywood.
RHET 391G. Immigration and the Media.
Pass/Fail Grading Option
Only one 100- or 200-level course may be taken pass/fail in fulfilling the minor requirements. CoursesRHET 100. What is Rhetoric?.
Although the oldest discipline, rhetoric may be the least understood. Aristotle defined rhetoric as "the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion." In this course, students conduct a historical survey of rhetorical theory from classical times to the present. Rhetorical artifacts examined include political speeches, television programs, print advertisements, editorials, music, film, and Internet sites. Required of all rhetoric majors and minors. Enrollment limited to 29. [W1] Normally offered every year. S. Kelley-Romano.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 120. Introduction to Screen Studies.
This course is designed to introduce students to the production techniques, historical context, cultural function, and critical analysis of various film and television texts. Both film and television play an important role in defining, challenging, and reinforcing cultural norms and practices. By looking critically at a number of texts and artifacts, the course encourages students to develop a better understanding of the role film and television play in defining cultures and "reality." Enrollment limited to 39. Normally offered every year. J. Cavallero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AA/RH 159. Cinema in Black and White: African American Presence and Absence in American Film.
The influence of African Americans in U.S. cinema has been profound, though most often is hidden in the shadows of discrimination. This course reconsiders the history of U.S. film by placing African Americans at the center instead of the margins. Films include major Hollywood releases (Hallelujah, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner) as well as works by independent producers and directors (Oscar Micheaux, Spike Lee). Enrollment limited to 39. C. Nero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AA/RH 162. White Redemption: Cinema and the Co-optation of African American History.
Since its origins in the early twentieth century, film has debated how to represent black suffering. This course examines one aspect of that debate: the persistent themes of white goodness, innocence, and blamelessness in films that are allegedly about black history and culture. Historical and cultural topics examined in film include the enslavement of Africans, Reconstruction, and the civil rights movement. [W2] Normally offered every year. C. Nero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AA/RH 202. Coming of Age While Black.
This course proceeds from the premise that coming of age while black is fraught with the dangers created by a system of anti-black surveillance. Students examine the "coming-of-age" film in American and international cinema that began during the era of the U.S. civil rights movement in the 1950s. Typically, the films in this subgenre feature a young black protagonist, often a teen, navigating, sometimes successfully but not always, a world defined by intersecting oppressions created by race, class, gender, sexuality, and/or (post)colonial identity. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: AA/EN 114, 115; AA/RH 162; AAS 100; or PSYC 372. New course beginning Winter 2018. Enrollment limited to 39. C. Nero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 219. Race, Gender, and International Cinema.
This course investigates a number of films, filmmakers, film industries, and film movements that have changed the shape of movies and expanded our understanding of what is possible with cinema. Students gain a greater knowledge of the global cinematic landscape and discern the role that cinema plays in global and local cultures. The course is particularly sensitive to the representation of race and gender and asks how a sensitivity to local cultural traditions might challenge or change readings of specific texts. Films from Iran, Brazil, Senegal, France, Australia, Italy, Japan, India, China, and Germany may be considered. Prerequisite(s): one course in rhetoric. New course beginning Fall 2018. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every other year. J. Cavallero.RHET 220. Constructions of Italian American Men and Masculinities.
From Rudolf Valentino to The Godfather to Jersey Shore, American media makers and audiences seem obsessed with the Italian American man. In challenging cultural conventions and brazenly refusing to conform to accepted social norms, the Italian American male in popular culture is simultaneously admired and feared. Representations of the Italian American male indulge fantasies of total freedom while providing a cautionary tale that endorses social conformity. This course examines representations of Italian American men to determine the cultural place of ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class, with attention paid to the rhetorical usage of these overlapping identities. Prerequisite(s): Either RHET 100 or 120. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. J. Cavallero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 240. Film Theory.
What is a film? How should films be viewed? What cultural role do the movies play? As might be expected, such open-ended questions have yielded no shortage of answers. This intermediate-level film studies course introduces students to some of the dominant theoretical models that have surfaced throughout the history of film theory (including formal film analysis, realism, Soviet montage theory, documentary theory, and experimental film theory), while also exploring issues of cultural studies, authorship, ideology, representation, digital cinema, reception studies, and global and transnational cinema. In coming to an understanding of these approaches, students develop a deeper comprehension of the cultural place and artistic significance of the movies. Prerequisite(s): RHET 120. Enrollment limited to 39. [W2] Normally offered every year. J. Cavallero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AA/RH 242. Passing/Trespassing.
This course examines the rhetoric of containing black bodies in cinematic and literary narratives. In passing narratives light-skinned people move across racial lines supposedly fixed by biology, custom, and law. In trespassing narratives black persons enter spaces denoted as white by law or custom. This course calls attention to fear, fantasy, punishment, and resistance as ongoing dimensions of race and white supremacy. Recommended background: at least one course with race as a central topic. C. Nero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 252. Rhetorical Theory.
While rhetoric is commonly perceived to be persuasion, rhetorical theorists have long studied the relationship between symbol systems and broader aspects of human identity. This course focuses on theories that explore the epistemological (how we know) and the ontological (being) aspects of language use. The course begins with general theories related to the topic and then moves to discussions of how language influences our understanding and embodiment of race, gender, sexuality, and citizenship. Prerequisite(s): RHET 100. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. [W2] J. Hovden.RHET 260. Lesbian and Gay Images in Film.
This course investigates the representation of lesbians and gays in film from the Golden Age of Hollywood to the contemporary independent filmmaking movement. Topics may include the effect of the "closet" on Hollywood film, homophobic imagery, international queer films, "camp" as a visual and narrative code for homosexuality, the independent filmmaking movement, and the debates about queer visibility in contemporary mass-market and independent films. Open to first-year students. [W2] C. Nero.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
RHET 265. The Rhetoric of Women's Rights.
Throughout American history the roles and rights ascribed to women have differed from those ascribed to men. Because of their differing situations, women have had to use rhetorical means to attain their goals of equality and access to the public sphere. This course examines rhetorical strategies used by women to overcome the exigencies they faced. It considers the rhetoric of oppositional voices who have challenged the goals of the feminist movements and the rhetoric in the broader social environment that establishes the social norms and values in which the movement must operate. Students learn and apply the tools of rhetorical criticism in order to identify, describe, and evaluate the rhetorical strategies. Prerequisite(s): RHET 100 or 120. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. [W2] S. Kelley-Romano.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
RHET 273. Monday Morning Quarterbacking: The Rhetoric of Sports.
This course examines the ways in which discourse surrounding sports influences culture, politics, and one's sense of self. Using rhetorical theories such as myth, metaphor, and narrative, students analyze the discourses surrounding topics such as the rhetorical construction of the athlete, sporting events, athletes as racialized and gendered bodies, the commodification of the athlete, athletes and activism, and fandom and identification. Prerequisite(s): one 100-level rhetoric course. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. [W2] J. Hovden.RHET 276. Television Criticism.
This course examines the representational strategies employed by television to convey social messages. The goals of the course are twofold: first, to acquaint students with the basic theoretical premises of rhetorical approaches to television; and second, to provide students an opportunity for critical and original research. Students will examine how the representation of race, class, sexuality, ability, and other categories of analysis are articulated in science fiction and fantasy on television. Prerequisite (s): RHET 100 or 120. Course reinstated beginning Winter 2018. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. [W2] S. Kelley-Romano.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
AA/RH 281. Black Pride and the 1970s.
This course focuses on the theme of black pride in artistic expression during the 1970s. Black pride enabled the creation of counter-publics that emerged after the civil rights movement defeated white supremacy laws. Particular attention is given to soul, disco, and funk as sonic movements that empowered young people, enabled gay culture formation, and popularized a modern southern blues; stage productions and literature that brought black feminism to mainstream attention; Broadway productions that fostered pride in black urban aesthetics and sensibilities; and television, radio, and cinema that validated the integrity of black history and culture. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every year. C. Nero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/RH 312. Kungfu Cinemas: Asia and Beyond.
Kungfu cinema has its icons—Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li—and new Kungfu movies premiere every year. What is Kungfu cinema? What are its origins, sources, influences, different schools, and contemporary manifestations in China, Japan, India, Europe, and Hollywood? How have Kungfu films participated in fashioning national identity, body image, gender perception, and nation building in Asia and beyond? Students consider these questions by closely watching, analyzing, and interpreting a variety of Kungfu films. Not open to students who have received credit for AS/CI 312. Enrollment limited to 15. Y. Liu.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 360. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.RHET 391. Topics in Rhetorical Criticism.
The topic varies from semester to semester. The seminar relies largely upon individual student research, reports, and discussion. Instructor permission is required. Students should consult the departmental web page for petition form. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 391A. The Rhetoric of Alien Abduction.
This seminar examines the discourse surrounding UFOs and alien abduction. Texts are drawn from various media and include both fictional and nonfictional accounts of interaction with aliens. The course uses abduction/UFO discourse as a way to interrogate articulations of power, reality, control, rights, and identity as they are expressed both by abduction experiencers and popular culture. Topics include conspiracy, narrative, apocalyptic rhetoric, and myth. Prerequisite(s): RHET 100 or 120. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. S. Kelley-Romano.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
RHET 391B. Presidential Campaign Rhetoric.
In this course, students explore the wide array of discourse surrounding presidential campaigns. Attention is paid to political speeches, advertisements, debates, news reporting, and the use of social media in campaigning. Students also participate in an extensive "mock campaign" complete with candidates, conventions, media, debates, and scandal. Special attention is paid to the evaluation of evidence and sources in the construction of political argument and image. Prerequisite(s): RHET 100 or 120. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. S. Kelley-Romano.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
RHET 391E. The Interracial Buddy Film.
This course examines the intersections of race and gender in the interracial buddy film, an enduring genre that emerged in the civil rights era and has become one of the most profitable film formulas. Students examine how the films construct masculinity and race in political contexts. Prerequisite(s): RHET 100 or 120 or AA/RH 162. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. C. Nero.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
RHET 391F. Bollywood.
This course develops a historical understanding of Bollywood while demonstrating that the economic realities of a globalized world have ethical implications for cultural production. The course considers the history of Bollywood productions from the 1950s to the 1990s, a time in which the aesthetic style and production practices of these films were established; special attention is paid to the gender, racial, sexual, and class politics of these movies. Next, students consider the industry's global popularity and the lucrative potential of transnational audiences. Finally, they investigate how Hollywood and independent films have attempted to capture a more traditional Bollywood audience. Films under study include Mother India, Zanjeer, Dhoom 2, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, and Slumdog Millionaire. Recommended backgound: RHET 100 and 120. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. J. Cavallero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 391G. Immigration and Media.
In the post-9/11 United States, few political issues have been as hotly contested as immigration. During the same time, many independent, Hollywood, and international film and television products have attempted to capitalize on this interest by representing immigrants and immigrant experiences. These media texts sit at the intersection of politics, economics, and art; each film or program becomes a site around which the diverse political leanings of a mass audience, the economic imperatives of cinematic and televisual production, and the artistic motives of media makers compete with and influence one another. Prerequisite(s): RHET 100 and 120. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. [W2] J. Cavallero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 391J. Film Festival Studies.
This course is structured around ongoing discussions within the academic field of festival studies and asks students to apply those conversations to the planning of an on-campus film festival. Throughout the course, students screen, discuss, and evaluate possible festival films and draw on the resources and connections of the Bates community to produce the event. They also engage in discussions about the history of film festivals, the promotion of festivals, the ways that festivals are accredited, the funding of festivals, the audience(s) of festivals, and the ways these realities create opportunities and constraints for festival organizers. Prerequisite(s): RHET 100 or 120. New course beginning Winter 2018. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. [W2] J. Cavallero.RHET 457. Senior Thesis.
A substantial academic or artistic project. Students register for RHET 457 in the fall semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both RHET 457 and 458. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.RHET 458. Senior Thesis.
A substantial academic or artistic project. Students register for RHET 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both RHET 457 and 458. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.RHET s16. Public Discourse.
This course is designed to develop an awareness of and skill in the techniques needed by a speaker in varying situations, from the large gathering to the small group. Students analyze and compose public speeches on various political issues. Not open to students who have received credit for RHET 185. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 24. J. Hovden.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET s17. Introduction to Argumentation.
An examination of the theory and practice of argumentation. This course explores argument theory from antiquity to the present and gives students the opportunity to develop skills in structured academic debates. Not open to students who have received credit for RHET 186. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 24. J. Hovden.RHET s22. The Cinema of John Ford.
This course considers the work of Hollywood legend and Maine native John Ford. Best known for his westerns, Ford also directed classics like The Grapes of Wrath, How Green Was My Valley, and The Battle of Midway. Students tour sites in Portland where Ford lived and worked, consider various ways of approaching his movies, and complete short documentaries about Ford. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. J. Cavallero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET s30. Film Festivals and Digital Video Production.
This course draws on the resources of the Lewiston/Auburn community to introduce students to film festival management and digital video production. Students work with Lewiston/Auburn’s Emerge Film Festival to help run the event. In addition, they learn various production techniques and produce high-quality videos that the festival may use to enhance its promotional and development opportunities (which could include but may not be limited to the Emerge website, grant applications, and meetings with potential donors). Production is approached through the study of critical theories, and several writing assignments accompany the creation of digital content. Prerequisite(s): RHET 120 and 240. Enrollment limited to 16. (Community-Engaged Learning.) J. Cavallero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RH/TH s40. Digital Video Production.
A hands-on, immersion course at Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine, in the art of storytelling through digital video production, including both narrative fiction and documentary genres. Students learn cinematic language, storytelling, storyboarding, drafting a shooting script, location scouting, casting talent, rehearsing, blocking, and directing actors and crew. They also consider the roles of filmmakers, from producers and directors to camera and sound specialists and editors. Students are introduced to Final Cut Pro and the postproduction process. During the course students are expected to research, write, shoot, and edit a number of finished works. There is an extra fee for this course. Enrollment limited to 8. Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations