The 2009 University of South Carolina

Conference on Rhetorical Theory

15-17 October 2009

Columbia, South Carolina

rhetorical questions  

The potential of rhetoric’s theory may abide in its questions, the puzzles that inaugurate, support, and follow from theoretical reflection. And yet, the art of questioning is frequently wrapped in a certain silence; a “good” question is often thought to be a function of unspeakable inspiration, just as the appearance of a question – originally, a torture – can strike us as a demand for definitive reply. Against these presumptions, the work of discerning and expressing rhetorical questions – as questions – may afford a way to clarify the (contingent) grounds of theory and disclose its (overlooked) possibilities.

 The Rhetoric Program at the University of South Carolina is pleased to announce the second meeting of the Conference on Rhetorical Theory. Launched in 2008 and designed to facilitate collaboration and critical interdisciplinary dialogue about the possibilities of rhetoric, the conference features a workshop format and a limited number of participants. Following the 2009 meeting, the conference will be convened on a biannual schedule.