http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/rhetoric Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Sun, 07 Jun 2026 22:43:15 -0400 Sun, 07 Jun 2026 22:43:15 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1824/how-populist-conservatism-influences-the-rhetoric-of-ethnic-entrepreneurs By Aishwari Krishna - This research paper investigates the impact that the rhetoric of a populist conservative ethnic entrepreneur can have on ethnic conflict by analyzing the tweets of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Over the years, the emergence of right-wing leaders in power has led to the increasing importance of the study of their impacts on society. Ethnic conflict between Indian Hindus and Muslims has recently been exacerbated, so India under Modi’s tenure was an ideal nation to study. The original content analysis compares tweets from two time periods, those during a period of crisis and those from... Wed, 21 Oct 2020 07:51 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1824/how-populist-conservatism-influences-the-rhetoric-of-ethnic-entrepreneurs http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1793/ergodic-textuality-in-egan-and-ozeki-the-rhetorical-dialogism-of-time-being By Taylor G. Hein - Human beings decided that time is linear. We continually assert that is made up of the past, present, and future, proceeding infinitely and mercilessly in an exclusively forward motion. Thus, our lives and our relationships are experienced linearly. Grounded in the fear of its purported rigidity and absoluteness, we lament time’s passing and the war it wages on our bodies and our minds. So, we conclude that we are powerless against it. Over its short history, humanity has proven itself to be epistemologically inclined, desiring to remain in the realm of culturally imposed ideals of &ldquo... Tue, 08 Sep 2020 09:56 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1793/ergodic-textuality-in-egan-and-ozeki-the-rhetorical-dialogism-of-time-being http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1788/toxic-royalty-feminism-and-the-rhetoric-of-beauty-in-disney-princess-films By Stephanie X. Hu - At Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom, light cascades across the night sky before spiraling down through the stars. The castle that towers within the dark shines bright amongst the fireworks’ sparkling ceruleans and violets. Once the night show rises to a crescendo of color and song, the snaps of cameras coalesce with the symphony as spectators strive to capture the moment in time. Such a scene stands as a cherished childhood dream, cemented at the heart of the contemporary American identity. Since the birth of Walt Disney’s animation studio, countless children have become spellbound... Thu, 23 Jul 2020 02:11 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1788/toxic-royalty-feminism-and-the-rhetoric-of-beauty-in-disney-princess-films http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1714/narratives-binaries-and-framing-in-the-cultural-contest-over-climate-change By Scott B. Remer - The above texts have been selected because they are iconic and authoritative. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is authorized by the United Nations and is the world’s foremost source of expertise on climate change.[1] The United States’ 2014 National Climate Assessment was produced by over 300 scientific experts and subject to an open review process and National Academy of Sciences oversight.[2] Laudato Si received extensive media coverage and has been lauded by numerous environmental groups.[3] 350.org, Greenpeace, and the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC... Wed, 13 Dec 2017 11:45 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1714/narratives-binaries-and-framing-in-the-cultural-contest-over-climate-change http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1617/a-theory-of-vernacular-rhetoric-reading-dantes-de-vulgari-eloquentia By Joseph P. Zompetti - The relationships between power and rhetoric have been the subject of many recent studies, most notably from the conversation concerning “critical rhetoric” (McKerrow, 1989; Murphy, 1995; Ono & Sloop, 1992; Shugart, 2003; Zompetti, 1997). Recent discussions have also occurred regarding the nature of vernacular discourse and how it affects disempowered groups (Berkowitz, 1997; Cheshire & Stein, 1997; Delgado, 1998; Hauser, 1998; 1999; McLaughlin, 1996; Ono & Sloop, 1995). Reflecting on the contemporary nexus between power and rhetoric certainly has its value, but we would... Thu, 06 Apr 2017 10:13 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1617/a-theory-of-vernacular-rhetoric-reading-dantes-de-vulgari-eloquentia http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1564/belonging-in-a-new-home-discursive-othering-of-latin-american-immigrants-in-us-print-media By Bill Kakenmaster - The year 2015 saw heightened racial and ethnic tension in the United States, with particular regard to Latin American immigrants and the U.S. presidential election. Discourse theory assumes that identity (re)production serves to legitimize, institutionalize, and eventually internalize hegemonic and resistant discursive portrayals of political actors and actor groups. Some discourse analysts attempts to "reveal racism" in society and combat that racism. Yet, to the extent that "racism" represents a series of systemic and systematically oppressive power structures, highlighting racist prejudices... Sat, 31 Dec 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1564/belonging-in-a-new-home-discursive-othering-of-latin-american-immigrants-in-us-print-media http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1508/juxtaposing-sexist-and-feminist-understandings-of-pro-life-an-analysis-of-reproductive-rights-rhetoric By Caroline B. Connor - Near the end of 2015, in the midst of recent presidential and congressional debates, House Republicans proposed a bill to defund Planned Parenthood, blocking all of the organization’s federal funding, after the release of videos discussing Planned Parenthood allegedly selling fetal tissue. Sources suggest that after the release in these videos, there was also a rise in death threats against abortion providers, which has been primarily linked to the rhetoric revolving around the fetal tissue controversy (Alter). After a shooting in a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic in November of 2015... Fri, 16 Dec 2016 04:24 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1508/juxtaposing-sexist-and-feminist-understandings-of-pro-life-an-analysis-of-reproductive-rights-rhetoric http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1504/artistic-expression-for-political-change-comedy-as-counter-terrorist-action By Zoe D. Fine - In March of 2015, National Public Radio published an online news story called “Egyptians Fight ISIS Fear-Mongering With Punchlines And Parody.” Author of the piece, Leila Fadel explains in the story that some individuals and organizations use comedy as a tool of subversion, as a means of defusing jihad and other terrorist acts (2015). Making themselves and others laugh serves to counter ISIS or ISIL, the violent extremist group famous for using weapons such as “highly-produced videos of brute violence” including recordings of a man being burned alive in a cage, Christians... Wed, 07 Dec 2016 02:50 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1504/artistic-expression-for-political-change-comedy-as-counter-terrorist-action http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/948/chris-christies-use-of-hurricane-sandy-in-new-jerseys-gubernatorial-elections By Celeste R. Aguzino - Christie had developed and honed these skills while serving as U.S. Attorney for the State of New Jersey. Prior to his appointment, Christie was a lawyer and for a brief time, a lobbyist. He worked to deregulate state utilities and prevent security fraud. As a U.S. Attorney from 2002 to 2009, Christie was noted for exposing public corruption cases. His administration notably found Republican Essex County Executive James W. Treffinger and Democratic State Senator Wayne R. Bryant guilty of bribery and fraud.[1] His aggressive, dogged approach to state corruption established his credibility and earned... Wed, 17 Dec 2014 09:46 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/948/chris-christies-use-of-hurricane-sandy-in-new-jerseys-gubernatorial-elections http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/896/the-visual-rhetoric-of-lady-justice-understanding-jurisprudence-through-metonymic-tokens By Bradly A. Knox - The genealogy of Justitia dates back to Greek mythology. Themis, who was wife, aunt, and counselor to Zeus, was considered Goddess over divine law and order. Following from the archaic legends, the rise of the Church amended Justitia “not as a goddess but as a personification of ancient virtues” (Resnik & Curtis, 1987, p. 1729). In contemporary times, Justitia has adorned courtrooms and the public forum as a trope to the Court of Law. Justitia has been commonly associated with jurisprudence. She is comprised of microelements, for instance the icon is usually depicted with a blindfold... Fri, 09 May 2014 08:28 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/896/the-visual-rhetoric-of-lady-justice-understanding-jurisprudence-through-metonymic-tokens http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/879/making-sense-of-memes-where-they-came-from-and-why-we-keep-clicking-them By Marion Provencher Langlois - The word meme has changed since its creation by Dawkins. It now refers, in Internet language, to pictures, sounds, videos or websites that are shared or reproduced from person to person through social media and user-generated content websites like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Tumblr, Reddit, etc. This examination considers Internet memes that are composed of an image, either an illustration or a photograph, accompanied by text. Under this form only what is written changes. This way, a new story or a new joke is created, however with the restriction of having to use the same image and the same framework... Fri, 28 Mar 2014 09:45 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/879/making-sense-of-memes-where-they-came-from-and-why-we-keep-clicking-them http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/860/demagoguery-and-the-westboro-baptist-church-deconstructing-the-tactics-of-hate By David M. Maslyn - The Westboro Baptist Church has become widely known for their hatred, polarizing statements, and funeral protests. Consisting of only a small family of about 40 members, Westboro has nevertheless become one of the most recognizable hate groups in the United States. Led by American pastor and ex-civil rights activist Fred Phelps, the Kansas church has been actively preaching messages of hate toward gays, non-Christians, Jews, and even celebrities since the early nineties. They have conquered news headlines for years with their abrasive tactics and offensive signs, but their widest and most long... Fri, 07 Feb 2014 06:25 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/860/demagoguery-and-the-westboro-baptist-church-deconstructing-the-tactics-of-hate http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/835/coupons-of-the-21st-century-the-golden-age-of-the-daily-deal-industry By Kathleen Donnelly - Since its introduction in the late 1800s, coupons have transformed drastically to appeal to the changing needs and behaviors of the common consumer. Although still existing, the classic paper coupon went digital with the introduction of the Internet. Now, companies such as Groupon and LivingSocial offer discount gift certificates in a "deal-of-the-day" format. This research focused on the unique features of daily deal promotions and the impact they have on persuading consumers to purchase goods and services. Additionally, this research analyzed how Groupon and LivingSocial use social networking... Sat, 14 Dec 2013 11:17 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/835/coupons-of-the-21st-century-the-golden-age-of-the-daily-deal-industry http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/781/propaganda-public-opinion-and-the-second-south-african-boer-war By Kelley S. Kent - The Second Boer War (1899‑1902) was costly for Great Britain and the semi‑independent South African Republic (Transvaal). It strained political relations between the British and the Boers, who did not gain independence from the United Kingdom until 1961. Political freedom and civil rights for South Africa's native population came later. What was the purpose of fighting this war? Many historians believe the Boer War was "the last of the gentleman's wars" (Krebs 55), a war to preserve the empire, but also, as seen in the mass street celebration of the relief of Mafeking on May 18, 1900... Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/781/propaganda-public-opinion-and-the-second-south-african-boer-war http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/699/a-rhetorical-examination-of-the-product-keynotes-of-steve-jobs By Alexander E. Hopkins - Upon Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ death in October 2011, he was mourned worldwide as an innovator who changed the landscape of the computing world. Ironically, Jobs rarely created technological-breakthroughs in computing by working hands-on with existing technology. Instead, he possessed a gifted eye for reading the “pulse” of the consumer electronics market as a whole. While much of Jobs’ marketing expertise was devised behind closed doors at Apple’s Cupertino, California headquarters, he showed the world his company’s new offerings during keynote addresses. These... Wed, 19 Sep 2012 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/699/a-rhetorical-examination-of-the-product-keynotes-of-steve-jobs http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/259/rhetorical-analysis-pauline-inklings-in-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde By Alicia D. Costello - The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson proves to be an enduring literary illumination into the human psyche. This little novella, published as a Christmas story in 1886, took some of the first steps into early Modernism and provided the basis for stories that more deeply dive into human psyche like Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was one of the first books to explore the duality of good and evil in everyday people, a strong step away from the mono-polarization of morality present in... Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:19 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/259/rhetorical-analysis-pauline-inklings-in-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/240/anti-rhetoric-in-alanis-morissettes-mary-jane By Tori E. Godfree - Rhetoric is commonly regarded as the art of persuasion. To take it a step further, Gerard A. Hauser states that rhetoric is “An instrumental use of language. One person engages another person in an exchange of symbols to accomplish some goal. Rhetoric is communication that attempts to coordinate social action. Its goal is to influence human choices on specific matters that require immediate attention”. Following the logic of Hauser’s description of rhetoric as meant to persuade another person to action, any artifact that persuades another person not to action, but to inaction... Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/240/anti-rhetoric-in-alanis-morissettes-mary-jane http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/234/epideictic-oratory-in-ayn-rands-the-fountainhead By Tori E. Godfree - “I came here to say that I do not recognize anyone’s right to one minute of my life. No matter who makes the claim, how large their number or how great their need” (Rand 684). So states Howard Roark, protagonist of Ayn Rand’s classic novel, The Fountainhead. His speech is given in a courtroom, in place of his defense against the act of which he has been accused. Roark’s speech aligns closely with the tenets of epideictic oratory, despite being held in a courtroom where one might expect a more forensic style of defense. Howard Roark’s speech in The Fountainhead... Wed, 21 Apr 2010 10:01 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/234/epideictic-oratory-in-ayn-rands-the-fountainhead http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/227/a-generation-of-men-raised-by-women-gender-constructs-in-fight-club By Tori E. Godfree - Marc Antony of Rome stabbed himself to death after hearing rumors that his lover, Queen Cleopatra of Egypt, had committed suicide; she, after receiving news of his death, induced a poisonous snake to bite and kill her. Queen Victoria’s reign over England was highly influenced by her husband Prince Albert, and she went into mourning for 40 years after his death. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, famous criminals during the American Depression, repeatedly faced a threat of violent death during their spree of robberies, and eventually were killed together as a result of their crimes. John Lennon... Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:17 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/227/a-generation-of-men-raised-by-women-gender-constructs-in-fight-club