A conceptual model of the rhetorical community that addresses the sociodramatic processes through which social order evolves, is maintained, can change, and is threatened is presented in this paper. Following an introduction, the paper identifies the various uses of rhetorical vision and rhetorical community that are found in fantasy theme…

Adopting the social theory of writing and new rhetorical genre studies (Bakhtin, 1986; Dias, Freedman, Medway, & Pare, 1999; Freedman & Medway, 1994; Miller, 1984/1994) as the theoretical framework in this study I made an attempt to explore graduate students' perceptions of academic writing as a mode of communication in academia. I interviewed…

This project examines the religious implications of an approach to "limmudei kodesh" (primarily the study of Talmud) and "halakhah" (an integration of academic scholarship with traditional Torah study and the evaluation of the educational pros and cons of a curriculum built on such a synthesis). In the concerted effort over the…

In the midst of tragedy, humans reconsider what they value in life. This reassessment is not only cognitive, but also is embodied and spiritual. Given the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and massive downsizings prior to (and after) this tragedy, many individuals in the United States have come to rethink their priorities in life. One site…

The increasing use of computer technology in formal educational settings has been simultaneous with the increased acceptance of functional perspectives of knowledge construction and acquisition. The practical need to make formal education cost efficient has resulted in the use of computer technology to render knowledge accessible to students who…

Workplace literacy has been a recent addition to the field of literacy education and research, achieving a level of "commonsense" acceptability so that its meaning(s) or constructions have largely gone unchallenged. A study, therefore, explored the concepts of "work,""workers," and "literacy," not so much to…

This paper comments on the topic of literacy and politics by answering a question: "Why can't literacy educators seem to reach the politicians?" The discussion in the paper shows how educators and politicians communicate in different languages; when speaking about education educators tend to use their own jargon, while policymakers tend…

This paper examines online corporate university artifacts to bring to light additive definitions of literacy. Rhetorical analysis in the paper shows four claims made about literacy in the corporate university artifacts: literacy is knowing the corporate culture; literacy provides immediate and quantifiable benefits; literacy is easily accessible…

Presents results of a study which observed one social network of Mexican immigrant families during several years. Considers how Spanish and English literacy are used in their lives. States that, although many of these adults have limited literacy skills resulting from lack of formal education, they still manage a variety of literacy practices that…

Examines organizational symbolism that is reflected in corporate discourse. Describes types of symbols and the functions symbols serve over time. Demonstrates how symbolic analysis can provide a better understanding of, and make contributions to, existing research on organizational concepts such as organizational change, leadership, and…

Examines cohesion in the introductions to some scientific articles and compares the patterns to those from popularizations. Discusses a computational model of cohesion. Argues that readers of scientific articles must have a knowledge of lexical relations to see the implicit cohesion, whereas readers of popularizations must see the cohesive…

Considers the role of "traveling rhetoricians" and the fate of the rhetorical theory and research they carry into the workplace and offer to practitioners. Finds teachers of academic, cross-curricular, and workplace writing are being informed by the discipline's deepening understanding of how genres work in particular settings. Considers…

Analyzes (using flight attendants) hidden transcripts--interactions, stories, myths, and rituals in which employees participate beyond direct observation--to provide an avenue to identify resistance and change in the organizing process. Challenges the outdated ideal of transmissional meaning, questions organizational power by including the…

Explains that in the study of law, postmodernism's interpretive turn has given rise to a wealth of scholarship analyzing the relationship of law's rhetoric to its social, cultural, and political contexts. Argues that legal writing professors must learn to grow beyond their narrow conception of rhetoric to help students become adept at the…

Outlines the basic features of the transformation of the computer into a communication medium. Describes elementary forms of computer-mediated communication in the global network Internet: ways of retrieval and asynchronous/synchronous forms of interactive communication. Presents dynamics of communication in virtual environments, focusing on…