Feminist Rhetorical Theories

by Karen A. Foss, Sonja K. Foss, Cindy Griffin

Providing fully developed rhetorical theories from feminist perspectives, this book offers coherent, systematic overviews of complex, large bodies of work and ideas relevant to rhetoric and communication. The book presents theories developed from the work of nine feminist theorists, each from diverse standpoints demonstrating the diversity of both feminism and feminist rhetorical theories - Chris Kramarae, Bell Hooks, Gloria Anzaldua, Mary Daly, Starhawk, Paula Gunn Allen, Trinh T Minh-ha, Sally Miller Gearhart and Sonia Johnson. The resulting theories differ substantially from traditional rhetorical theories, and will encourage scholars to rethink many traditional rhetorical constructs.

400 pages, Paperback

First published February 23, 1999

Reviews

[Mike Rancourt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Few of the scholars profiled in this text seemed to think of their work as rhetorical scholarship, so it really seems that Foss & Foss & Griffin were constructing rhetorical theory out of the insight of various feminist scholars. Sometimes I think it works, and sometimes I think it does not. Foss & Griffin went on the public an article on "invitational rhetoric," which they developed by contrasting the persuasive rhetoric's roots in patriarchal values with a selection of feminist values. I think that concept is fantastic, and I can see it developing in this book, but I think there is room to debate the feminist values they chose and their interpretations of the rhetorics which stem from those values. Generally, this book is probably worth a quick look, especially the chapter on Gearhart if you're not already familiar with her work. Then look into the Foss & Griffin article and Gearhart's work.