Rhetorical Histories of Social Movements in the U.S.

An exploration of American social movements spanning from the fight for independence to modern struggles, where each chapter unveils the strategic use of rhetoric in shaping abolition, civil rights, labor, queer liberation, and environmental justice, revealing how persuasive messaging catalyzed change.

Written by experts in the field, Rhetorical Histories of Social Movements in the U.S. provides readers with a rhetorical account of American social movements from the U.S. War for Independence to #BlackLivesMatter. In nine movement-specific chapters, readers explore the history and rhetorical aspects of early U.S. movements, including the War for Independence, abolition, and women's suffrage; labor, socialist, and communist movements; the Civil Rights and Black freedom movements; Latine and immigrant struggles; women's movements; gay rights and queer liberation movements; antiwar and student movements of the 1960s; disability rights and justice movements; and ecological and environmental justice movements. Featuring a uniquely rhetorical focus, the book examines how specific movements have crafted messages, identities, and organizations to exert social influence in response to overweening power. The field of rhetorical studies has lacked a comprehensive, integrated, and distinctly rhetorical history of the movements our students need to know about. This book is designed to address that gapRhetorical Histories of Social Movements in the U.S. is designed to complement A New Rhetoric of Social Movements by Dana L. Cloud. It can also stand alone or supplement any other theoretical social movement text.