International Journal of Communication
Publishes a Special Section on Critical Rhetoric

Guest-edited by Raymie E. McKerrow and Art Herbig, this Special Section on Critical Rhetoric: Thirty Years Later investigates the contemporary relevance of what has become known as the Critical Rhetoric Project. This Special Section brings together eight original papers (plus an editorial introduction) with original interview footage with the authors produced by Art Herbig and Alix Watson.

This Special Section focuses on the primary question:  What are the contemporary limits and future potential of critical rhetoric as an orientation toward criticism?

Critical Rhetoric assumes an orientation toward public events that focuses primary attention on critiques of either or both forces of domination (freedom from oppression) and freedom (freedom to create new relations of power). In taking the role of a critic, the critical rhetorician demystifies the power relations that underly domination as well as those power relations that may promote new relations. This is done with the knowledge that once instantiated, any new relations of power will also be open to renewed critique.

The articles examine diverse ways in which a critical orientation toward power relations is manifest. Topics include the role of forgiveness, the possibilities of collaboration or direct participation in public events as one critiques, how social activism and social media impact power relations, as well as an alternative perspective that offers a corrective to the limits of a critical orientation. All eight essays, in different ways, enlarge the scope and utility of continued work that draws from a critical orientation toward the effects of power. This Special Section serves a heuristic function in promoting new research trajectories.

We invite you to read these articles on Critical Rhetoric that published in the International Journal of Communication  on February 2, 2020. Please Ctrl+Click on the article titles below for direct hyperlinking.

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Critical Rhetoric — Introduction
Raymie E. McKerrow, Art Herbig

Between Critical and Rhetoric: McKerrow’s Contribution to Contemporary Critical Practice
Brandon M. Daniels, Kendall R. Phillips   

Critical Rhetoric, Relationality, and Temporality: A Case for Forgiveness
Tony E. Adams

Critical Rhetoric and Collaboration: Missing Principle #9 and ProfsDop.com
Art Herbig, Andrew F. Herrmann, Alix R. Watson , Adam W. Tyma, joan miller

(Participatory) Critical Rhetoric: Critiqued and Reconsidered
Aaron Hess, Samantha Senda-Cook, Michael K. Middleton, Danielle Endres

Toward Social Justice Activism Critical Rhetoric Scholarship
Lawrence R. Frey, Joshua S. Hanan

The Critique of Domination and the Critique of Freedom: A Gramscian Perspective — Commentary
Dana L. Cloud

Critical Rhetoric in the Age of the (First) Reality TV President: A Critique of Freedom and Domination
Jennifer C. Dunn

Privileged Vulnerability: Embodied Pedagogy as Critical Rhetorical Praxis
Danielle M. Stern, Katherine J. Denker   ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Larry Gross
Editor

Arlene Luck
Managing Editor 

Raymie E. McKerrow, Art Herbig
Guest Editors