Examines the history of the filibuster, particularly the ways in which the discourse surrounding attempts to eliminate the filibuster exemplify certain fundamental contradictions in American political mythology. Concludes that popular democracy and the American form of republican government are as contradictory as they are collaborative. Sees the…

The social epistemic that the Mennonite-Anabaptists have been cultivating as their hermeneutic method for 470 years focuses on local congregations as discourse communities of faith, promoting egalitarian lay participation equal to that of members with formal ministries. "The Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective" features a…

Profiles Trude Weiss-Rosmarin, a German-Jewish immigrant to America who, in 1935, published an independent magazine of Jewish ideas. Notes that the periodical focused on Jewish survival in an assimilationist milieu and the role of Jewish women. States that Weiss-Rosmarin lectured frequently, attracted important readers, and contributed…

The Jewish tradition of text study and commentary may convey important messages to educators because of its probable inherent interest and for possible recommendations for pedagogical practice that might be suggested by it. Beyond seeking guidance in religious and everyday affairs, the last 2000 years of Torah study reveals a passionate commitment…

Shows the path to professionalization through four phases of ornithological discourse history, drawing upon articles in "The Auk," published from 1890-90. States that, originally a single discourse form, the personal narrative of natural history served ornithological science. Finds that a gap between science and public understanding was…

This paper discusses the rhetoric of American educators to show that rhetorical analyses can be used to highlight assumed concepts and values within educators' discourses, policies, and practices, and to suggest that greater awareness of their rhetoric can help educators make their communications congruent with their purposes. The paper describes…

Founded in 1854 as the Ashmun Institute, Lincoln University in southern Pennsylvania is the nation's oldest historically black university. Classical rhetoric and canonical literature were taught at Lincoln since its founding. Lincoln's writing program emerged fully and autonomously in 1978 and grew roughly at the same time that the discipline of…

"Utilizing current trends in reading comprehension used in educational classes," this paper discusses "some forms of communication practiced by early black Americans and their implications for innovation in critical thinking and comprehension strategies.""Utilizing an anthropological approach, this work provides an intense…

The persistent cultural conservatism in Western scholarship has led to the exclusion of Chinese rhetoric from the canon of rhetorical studies. However, the assumption that Chinese culture does not have a rhetorical tradition is misleading and inappropriate. It stems from any number of notions: that the Chinese language is not as logical as those…

Noting that college students in the 1990s are once again becoming interested in religious/spiritual phenomena, this analysis of religious humanism as persuasive discourse first touches upon the event-filled 1960s and 70s, which saw social unrest and turbulent change, much of it emanating from university students. As background, the analysis points…

A study explored the debate over comic books and children in the 1950s, addressing the communication role of comic books in forming a new community of comic book fans during that period. Using E.C. (Educational Comics) comic books as a case study, the conventions of the comic books, correspondence between producers and consumers, and articles by…

Griff Foley's (1999) framework for analysis of learning in social movements is a way to examine how participants replace dominant discourses with emancipatory discourses. Dorothy Day's use of advocacy journalism, development of alternative, radical communities of faith, and ongoing challenge to the dominant culture through public protest and…

The literacy programs and policies implemented in Australia over the past decade were reviewed to identify initiatives that have and have not had a positive impact on vocational education and training (VET) and lifelong learning opportunities. Policies and practices in seven other countries were also reviewed. The following themes received…

This book, consisting of 17 chapters written by different authors, traces the progress that has been made in developing lifelong learning policies over the past 30 years and examines current challenges to lifelong learning policymakers. Focusing on a global agenda, the book is organized in six parts with thematic chapters following an introductory…