Political Rhetoric in the Classrooms: (Re)Generating Civic Engagement (Roundtable) (NeMLA's 57th Annual Convention)
Pittsburg, PA
Event: NeMLA's 57th Annual Convention
At a time when political discourse profoundly shapes civic life, classrooms have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to cultivate a new generation of rhetorically aware citizens. This roundtable, aligned with the theme of (Re)generation, explores how writing professors can regenerate interest, energy, and agency in political language. We aim to create classroom spaces where students critically engage with the rhetoric of political movements, leaders, and policies—not to rehash divisive binaries, but to foster healthier, more informed civic discourse. This roundtable will confront the implicit rules and expectations that often limit how political rhetoric is taught and engaged within the classroom. It seeks to break molds and encourage a reimagining of how we empower students to navigate, critique, and participate in political conversations that shape the world around them. By creating a space for collaborative discussion, we will explore how writing instruction can serve as a tool for (Re)generating more inclusive, thoughtful, and dynamic political discourse.
We invite participants to share their experiences with assignments, discussion strategies, and course designs that help students analyze, critique, and compose political rhetoric with clarity and care. We are interested in contributions that empower students to navigate political discourse through writing and discussion in class. This roundtable focuses on creating classrooms that regenerate and reinvigorate positive political discourse, emphasizing listening, questioning, and ethical argumentation. Designed to embrace diverse perspectives, this session aims to propose new ways of critically engaging with political rhetoric.
We particularly welcome contributions that
· Analyze political speeches and rhetoric
· Examine media and political campaigns
· Teach media literacy in political contexts
· Employ rhetorical strategies
· Write on global political issues
Other topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
· Political activism and social justice
· Intersectionality in political communication
· Media and political campaigns
· Ethics and Politics
· Inclusive political discourses
· Visual rhetoric in politics
This roundtable is organized by scholars from different disciplines and continents. Therefore, we invite contributions from a broad range of fields, including education and writing studies, as well as social sciences (sociology, political science, history, geography). Participants from outside the USA, graduate students, and academic-adjacent professionals are also warmly encouraged to apply. By uniting scholars from diverse backgrounds, our goal is to foster a pluralistic dialogue across various cultural and academic contexts.
Concretely, participants will provide a brief (5–8 minute) informal overview of their experiences teaching political rhetoric, followed by an open discussion. Presenters are expected to contribute either a short paper or a presentation outlining a teaching strategy, assignment, or course design.
Session Type: Roundtable (this is a hybrid roundtable with in-person and virtual presentations allowed)
Full Call and Submission: https://cfplist.com/nemla/Home/S/21632
https://cfplist.com/nemla/Home/S/21632
Dr. Amy Leshinsky
