This Rhetorical Life

In the first part of this keynote address from Syracuse University’s Conference on Activism, Rhetoric, and Research, Minnie Bruce Pratt discussed shifting definitions of what it means to be an activist and a feminist, considering the rhetoric we use to talk about change and action. In this second part of her address, Minnie Bruce considers what research has to do with change, with the connection between words and action, the connection between symbolic representation and material realities. Episode 2 is part two of Minnie Bruce Pratt’s keynote address. To listen to part one, visit the previous post. To read a PDF of the full transcript, please download it here: Transcript for Episode 2. The music sampled in this podcast is "On Children" by Sweet Honey in the Rock.

The following audio comes from Syracuse University’s inaugural Conference on Activism, Rhetoric, and Research (CARR). In this keynote, Minnie Bruce Pratt—a lesbian writer and white, anti-racist activist—wrestles with questions raised by Chilean poet and revolutionary Pablo Neruda. How are words related to action and to our moment in history? What do words like “change” and “action” have to do with us if we’ve never thought of ourselves as activists? And if we have been activists for many decades, what happens if we consider again the words we use? Episode 1 is part one of Minnie Bruce Pratt's keynote address. To listen to part two, please visit the next post. To read a PDF of the full transcript, please download it here: Transcript for Episode 1. The music sampled in this podcast is "On Children" by Sweet Honey in the Rock.

"Writing programs are complex ecosystems, rooted in particular institutional soil, populated with a shifting mixture of personalities, pedagogical priorities, literacy goals, and both administrative and public pressures. As Writing Program Administrators, we have to strike a fine balance between the particulars of the local and the disciplinary best practices our field has negotiated in this current national educational climate. To understand the finer points of this balance, we spoke with Linda Adler-Kassner, Writing Program Administrator at University of California-Santa Barbara and author of The Activist WPA." Our pilot podcast features Professor Linda Adler-Kassner (UC Santa Barbara) and TJ Geiger (Syracuse University). To read a PDF of the full transcript, please download it here: Transcript for Pilot Podcast.