Center for the Study of Rhetoric in Society

At the Center for the Study of Rhetoric in Society, we examine communications in public, nonprofit, academic, corporate, and governmental settings to better understand language in use. How does language inspire people to action? How does writing change society, and why? We search for answers by studying everything from the communication strategies of a national social change movement to “everyday rhetorics” that often go unnoticed or unexamined. All of our research and creative projects combine research methods developed in rhetoric and writing studies with methods across the disciplines. Through externally funded research and outreach, we seek to translate analysis into action. We welcome collaboration and partnerships with other academic units, community organizations, corporations, scholars, and activists in Virginia, the United States, and internationally.