Resources

Invitational Rhetoric:

A Revolutionary Proposal for Feminist Teachers

Where to Find It

Sonja K. Foss and Cindy L. Green's 1995 article "Beyond Persuasion: A Proposal for an Invitational Rhetoric" is provided below. It can also be found through most university database systems. 

Why to Find It

Foss and Griffin's invitational rhetoric is not directly related to writing pedagogies, but it is highly applicable in the classroom environment. The proposal itself details their vision of a rhetoric that steps away from the common view of rhetoric as persuasion and embraces rhetoric as a means of understanding and conveying diverse perspectives without the intent to dismiss the worldviews of others. They believe the notion that traditional rhetoric is the exclusive rhetoric can be hierarchical and potentially harmful. And, in a move that furthers their theory's credibility, they explain their perspective through proposal and illustration while still acknowledging the fact that other rhetorics have their place.

An awareness of invitational rhetoric can be beneficial for any teacher who wishes to highlight respectful and meaningful conversations in the classroom. It is even possible to have students interact directly with invitational rhetoric through this article or through other informed activities, and this will encourage nuance, empathy, and openness within students' thinking processes about not only rhetoric but communication as a whole. I have even included this article as a reading for my English 1101 class.