This study analyzes Norman Vincent Peale's bestsellers, A Guide to Confident Living and The Power of Positive Thinking, through the lenses of metaphoric criticism and invitational rhetoric. Invitational rhetoric includes characteristics such as openness, equality, mutual respect and reciprocal understanding. Metaphoric analysis includes the dominant categories of metaphors, their roles and transition across topics. The dominant tenors of mind and thought were identified, which shows consistency with Peale's main themes such as positive thinking, peace and faith. The meaning of the archetypal metaphors of light, water and sun are also discussed, along with the role of other metaphors in supporting invitational rhetoric. / Master of Arts

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF DAVID W. WHITFIELD, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in COMMUNICATION STUDIES, presented on APRIL 2, 2018, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: CONDITIONS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE: THEORIZING CRITICAL COMMUNICATION PEDAGOGY WITH/IN THE CLASSROOM USING A LENS OF RELATIONAL SAFETY MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Sandra Pensoneau-Conway Using the ten commitments of Critical Communication Pedagogy (CCP) as a grounding perspective, this research project investigates the teacher-student relational dynamic with an inquiry into the degree of safety students and teachers perceive in their shared relationship. Relational safety is a new term being introduced into the literature on reflexive and critical teaching practices. It is foregrounded in the belief that the classroom is a microcosm of the larger world and therefore can be a site of inquiry and interruption of mundane communication practices that may be oppressive and which might otherwise go unquestioned (Fassett & Warren, 2007). A combination of three methods were utilized. Classroom observations were conducted in all four face-to-face summer sections of the introductory public speaking course from the university's core curriculum. These observations were used to inform the questions used to interview participants. The data collected were from three (student) focus groups, four graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) interviews, and 23 individual student interviews. Findings revealed five major themes that are salient for the emergence and development of a teaching practice which nurtures feelings of safety in the teacher-student relationship: 1) affirmation; 2) dialogic worldview; 3) attention to bodies in space; 4) a balanced approach to humor, self-disclosure, and feedback; 5) the class evolves into a community of care. The dissertation concludes with a reminder that while social change is the ultimate goal of a critical, reflexive teaching practice that is future-oriented, teachers must always remain grounded in hope. Relational safety can emerge when critical educators embrace a belief that when teachers model reflexive communicative practices to/for their students, in turn they create a space for incremental shifts in language choices, critical discourse, and reflexive thinking that will evoke a desire in others to advocate for social change, communicate across cultural differences, and celebrate diversity

The purpose of this bachelor’s thesis is to investigate school staff's attitudes towards sexual education for young people with disabilities, within special needs education in Sweden. The rhetorical analysis aims to include answers to what school staff members consider to be adequate sexual education, what obstacles and opportunities they see as well as how they experience their own and their students' rhetorical agency. The study was done through a qualitative focus group method and individual interviews, inspired by appreciative inquiry. They were held after RFSU Stockholm hosted a sexual education lesson for the students. The theoretical framework is based on Sonja K Foss and Cindy Griffin's invitational rhetoric, an intersectional understanding of power structures and Karlyn Kohrs Campbell's definition of rhetorical agency. The results, developed through a thematization of the staff's responses, show that the staff have a positive attitude towards sexual education. Significant aspects within sexual education are consent, relationships and identities. The staff are aware of their position of power and that they influence students. It's important for them to have similar common ground in regards to the subject, leading students to gain correct information about HBTQI. They want to increase students' rhetorical agency in relationships, by building up students' self- esteem.

This thesis introduces public relations scholars and practitioners to the benefits of using an invitational rhetoric approach to the corporate voice instead of relying on traditional rhetorical approaches that are grounded in persuasive, authoritative intent. Because of societal changes inspired by changing gender norms, the traditional masculine corporate voice may no longer be the most effective corporate communication style. Traditional approaches to corporate communication are being challenged by more inclusive approaches that emphasize meaning co-creation with the public over purely persuasive approaches. This thesis conducts a case study of the Bud Light brand's use of Twitter. The purpose of this thesis is to determine if the brand uses an invitational rhetoric approach, and, if so, explore how Bud Light uses this approach. The thesis also analyzes the implications of this approach for corporate public relations practice. I argue an invitational rhetoric approach to corporate public relations may encourage more equitable communication between organizations and publics rather than privilege one authoritative, persuasive corporate voice over other voices involved in the conversation. / Master of Arts / This thesis introduces public relations scholars and practitioners to the benefits of using a more inclusive approach to their corporate voice on social media through an approach called invitational rhetoric. Invitational rhetoric is defined by Foss and Griffin (1995) as an "invitation to understanding as a means to create a relationship rooted in equality, immanent value, and self-determination" (p. 5). Because of societal changes inspired by changing gender norms, the traditional masculine corporate voice that is grounded in persuasive, authoritative intent may no longer be the most effective corporate communication style. Traditional approaches to corporate communication are being challenged by more inclusive approaches that emphasize interaction and understanding with the public over purely persuasive approaches. This thesis conducts a case study of the Bud Light brand's use of Twitter. The purpose of this thesis is to determine if the brand makes use of an invitational rhetoric approach, and, if so, explore how Bud Light uses invitational rhetoric. The thesis also analyzes the implications of an invitational rhetoric approach for corporate public relations practice. I argue an invitational rhetoric approach to corporate public relations may encourage more equitable communication between organizations and publics rather than privilege one authoritative, persuasive corporate voice over other voices involved in the conversation.

The forest debate in Sweden is as intense as it is old. This thesis aims to explore similarities and differences in how private land owners and environmentalists in Sweden describe their relationship to the forest. Earlier research is mainly focused on the argumentative aspect of the forest debate, whereas I analyze how the relationship between people and forests is being expressed, in order to understand why people take a certain standpoint in the debate. It builds on a premise that private land owners and environmentalists often are framed as enemies in the public forest debate, while my hypothesis is that there is actually a lot of common ground between them. The purpose of this thesis is to find areas where the debate can take on a more nuanced tone by revealing common traits and complexities regarding peoples relationship with the forest.  Using Kenneth Burkes dramatistic pentad the material is being analysed to find the worldview and values that functions as motives for the actions taking place in relation to the forest. The material is written and recorded stories from private land owners as well as environmentalist.   The theoretical framework is Environmental Rhetorics with a focus on the ongoing discussion about ecocentrism and antropocentrism in the humanities, Place based studies, and Invitational Rhetoric along with Rhetorical Listening.   The thesis answer the question of what similarities and differences can be found between how private land owners and environmentalist in Sweden express their relationship to the forest. The result reveals what these answers mean for the public forest debate in Sweden, and suggests some opportunities on how to make the forest debate more nuanced.

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