Carolina Rhetoric Conference 2018: Rhetorics and (Counter)Publics: Conference Acknowledgments

April O'Brien
Clemson University
Abstract: 

Scholars in rhetoric and composition have, in recent years, examined how publics, counterpublics, and public writing function in everyday spaces and places, as expression, argument, and resistance (Warner; Rivers and Weber; Rice; Coogan; Weisser). In response to world-wide events and political changes, networks – informal and formal – use the public sphere to communicate dissensus and resistance, making visible the rhetoric of counter/publics in tension with larger publics. Although some individuals are intentionally members of counter/publics, others are unaware of their position within these networks.

Scholars in rhetoric and composition have, in recent years, examined how publics, counterpublics, and public writing function in everyday spaces and places, as expression, argument, and resistance (Warner; Rivers and Weber; Rice; Coogan; Weisser). In response to world-wide events and political changes, networks – informal and formal – use the public sphere to communicate dissensus and resistance, making visible the rhetoric of counter/publics in tension with larger publics. Although some individuals are intentionally members of counter/publics, others are unaware of their position within these networks.

According to Jenny Rice, “. . . becoming oriented to the public sphere is never simply a matter of joining publics or counterpublics. Whether or not we know it, we are already a part of multiple networks” (164). What constitutes a public and a counterpublic also continues to shift, especially in an increasingly digitized world. Still, issues of public identity, ideology, and influence persist, regardless of the location of the public – material, or virtual. As these identities, ideologies, and influences are becoming more fragmented and divided, we wonder how rhetorics can encourage collaboration and consensus among varying counter/publics.

Carolina Rhetoric Conference 2018 asks how rhetorics are employed to participate, engage, and even challenge publics. We are interested in the ways in which counter/publics use rhetorics to enact agendas and facilitate action through collaboration and dissent; included, but not limited to queer/ing publics, disability and difference, digital and material participative spaces, pedagogical applications, and community-based writing.

As the conference chair, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the many, many people who helped organize the conference this year. Thanks to the Review/Theme Committee, the Food/Venue Committee, the Funding Committee, the Design Committee, and the Guest Speaker Committee for all their tireless efforts to make this conference a special event.

The conference would not have been a success without the inspiration and support of Victor Vitanza, Jan Rune Holmevik, Cynthia Haynes, David Blakesley, and Steve Katz. A special thanks to David donating Parlor Press books to all attendees, as well as to Cynthia, for her insightful and moving keynote address.

Finally, I would like to thank all those who attended Carolina Rhetoric Conference 2018. Without their participation, this conference could not be possible.

Hosted by:

-Rhetoric Society of America Student Chapter at Clemson University

-Society of the Third Sophistic

Sponsored by:

-College of Arts, Architecture, and Humanities

-Campbell Chair in Technical Communication

-Parlor Press

-Rhetoric Society of America

-Center of Excellence

-Pearce Center for Professional Communication

-Office of Global Engagement

Provenance: 
This text was accepted for publication after an anonymous peer review process.
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