Rhetoric in Popular Culture 6/e

Barry Brummett is the Charles Sapp Centennial Professor in Communication Emeritus of the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Texas, Austin. He received his PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1978 and taught at Purdue University and the University of Wisconsin before coming to the University of Texas at Austin in 2001, retiring in 2022. Brummett has authored, coauthored, or edited numerous articles, scholarly essays, and books, including Rhetoric of Style, Clockwork Rhetoric: The Language and Style of Steampunk, Contemporary Apocalyptic Rhetoric, Techniques of Close Reading, Rhetoric of Machine Aesthetics, and The Politics of Style and the Style of Politics. His research pursuits include the rhetoric of popular culture, epistemology, and the theories of Kenneth Burke.

PART 1 * THEORY Chapter 1 * Rhetoric and the Rhetorical Tradition Chapter 2 * Rhetoric and Popular Culture Chapter 3 * Rhetorical Methods in Critical Studies Chapter 4 * Varieties of Rhetorical Criticism: INTERVENTION-Understanding Chapter 5 * Varieties of Rhetorical Criticism: UNDERSTANDING-Intervention PART 2 * APPLICATION Chapter 6 * Paradoxes of Personalization: Race Relations in Milwaukee Chapter 7 * Notes from a Texas Gun Show Chapter 8 * Simulational Selves, Simulational Culture in Groundhog Day Chapter 9 * Jumping Scale in Steampunk: One Gear Makes You Larger, One Duct Makes You Small Chapter 10 * The Bad Resurrection in American Life and Culture

"This is an outstanding guide to rhetorical criticism for beginning students. It nicely balances the student's need for structure with a recognition that criticism is not like baking a cake--it is the best thing that I have ever used to teach criticism." -- Bryan Crable "A good blend of theory and praxis. An introduction to rhetoric and theory that will provide students a good overview if they have never had a rhetoric class or if it has been awhile since they've had a rhetoric class. And then specific case studies that shows students how to use those concepts in praxis. All done from a popular cultural lens that is appealing to students!" -- Sarah Scott "This is the most accessible textbook you can find for students who are not highly familiar with rhetoric. It provides a solid foundation in the first chapter, but moves well beyond the Greek legacy. The author has also made some efforts to include diverse voices in the text, though more could be done in this area." -- Steven Paul Melling "Brummett's "Rhetoric in Popular Culture" overviews major theoretical approaches to rhetorical criticism and applies them to a variety of artifacts. The text includes helpful exercises to encourage students to think of criticism not as a rigid checklist but as a critical and dynamic endeavor. Rooted in the rhetorical tradition but also informed by contemporary thought, the book offers students examples of criticism and the theory behind critical approaches to language and thought." -- Emma Frances Bloomfield "A user friendly textbook that links the rhetorical tradition and rhetorical theory and criticism to rhetorical criticism of pop culture, written in accessible language with relevant examples for contemporary audiences." -- Susan Mackey-Kallis