Topic-driven Environmental Rhetoric

Common topics and commonplaces help develop arguments and shape understanding. When used in argumentation, they may help interested parties more effectively communicate valuable information. The purpose of this edited collection on topics of environmental rhetoric is to fill gaps in scholarship related to specific, targeted, topical communication tactics. The chapters in this collection address four overarching areas of common topics in technical communication and environmental rhetoric: framing, place, risk and uncertainty, and sustainability. In addressing these issues, this collection offers insights for students and scholars of rhetoric, as well as for environmental communication practitioners looking for a more nuanced understanding of how topic-driven rhetoric shapes attitudes, beliefs, and decision-making.

Derek G. Ross is Associate Professor in the Master of Technical and Professional Communication Program at Auburn University, USA. His work has appeared Technical Communication, Written Communication, and IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, among others. He is the Ethics Editor/Columnist for Intercom Magazine and Co-Director of LUCIA, Auburn’s Laboratory for Usability, Communication, Interaction, and Accessibility.