Language, Rhetoric and Composition

If black men and women, and some white women were--to some extent--successful in forming a coalition to fight some sociopolitical battles much as anti-slavery, civil rights, women's movement, etc., it appears that romantic interracial relationships--particularly between black men and white women--are on the verge of undermining this necessary coalition to "cross the bridge to the twenty-first century." Judging from three perspectives: (1) historical sexual-relations between blacks and whites; (2) the black female audience's attitude toward black man and white woman romance; and (3) media (movies and literature) portrayals of black women's reactions to black men who date or marry white women, this thesis argues that some black women appear to incorporate stereotypical themes in their "objectionable" discourse to black man/white woman romantic relationships. It further argues that these stereotypes appear to support the causes of racism and patriarchy through the pitting; of black women against black men and white women, and undermine black men and women relations, as well as racial unity between black and white women.

Although the typical writing instructor might not be likely to have numerous encounters with fundamentalist students throughout the course of a career, most writing instructors will almost certainly have students who write in and from a range of religious, political, and ideological contexts. Because such students often struggle against writing pedagogies that promote cultural pluralism and social justice through liberal or left-wing political ideologies, ethnographic examination of religious ideology and politics is a valuable critical tool for reflection for composition scholars as they consider how to address religious discourse, faith-based claims, and religious political agendas in their students' writings, class discussions, and responses to course materials and instruction. My acute understanding of this pedagogical conflict is informed by my own academic formation and in-class instructional experiences, and the point at which I began scrutinizing the intersections of Christian fundamentalism and contemporary composition pedagogy is a significant element of this study.

Clinton's success in engendering loyalty in the African-American, despite his failure to deliver socio-economic and political benefits, presents us with an apparent paradox. The contention is that the answer to this paradox could be found in the rhetorical style and strategies habitually employed by Clinton when speaking to African-Americans. What Clinton said to black America is important, but how he said it, is even more so. Through a critical examination of his eight speeches to the Congressional Black Caucus' Annual Dinner, using rhetorical theory, this research examines how Clinton said what he said. In utilizing the critical approach that examines stylistic techniques, it analyzes his rhetorical strategies within the framework of what I term a "rhetoric of inclusion." This concept embraces six rhetorical strategies that enhance identification and authority. Scanned through the prism of these strategies, the research shows that Clinton's rhetoric provided him with a distinct voice that was very effective in ensuring the loyalty of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Nine journal articles were analyzed in order to understand gendered composition and what makes writing an article feminine and what makes it masculine. The journals reviewed were Communication Monographs, Communication Theory, Critical Studies in Mass Communication, Human Communication Research, Quarterly Journal of Speech, and Women Studies in Communication. Categories were compiled to include the characteristics of a feminine style in feminist research, and a masculine style in traditional research. This analysis takes a rhetorical approach in order to address a more gender diverse perspective in research. As a result of many published articles reflecting a theme of a "dominant masculinist paradigm" in the publication process, this study examines some of the reasons why feminist scholarship in communication struggles for acceptance.