Okay. So you've got me. Non-traditional rhetorics are my bread, butter and jam. The Borcher's chapter on these rhetorics has illuminated many aspects to non-traditional rhetorics that I haven't been exposed to before. Borcher's does such a good job of being transparent and very thorough in his treatments of these rhetorics in the little amount of space he uses.
I'd like to focus specifically on the African rhetorics for the purpose of this post seeing as I'd like to possibly tackle Web 2.0 and African rhetorics for my dissertation work. The main thing that I encounter when I think of incorporating African rhetorics or any non-cannonical rhetorics that don't specifically relate to me is the terror of appropriating texts in such a way that is disrespectful to the people who've created it. That being said, Borchers handles these rhetorics with the utmost care and respect. The Afrocentric movement described by Borchers is one that really intrigues me. The inclusion of things such as style and rhythm (not in the classical sense) really give the African rhetoric such deeper emotional and spiritual meaning. His use of hip hop as the contemporary example for this type of rhetoric resonates with me personally.
Growing up I had always had a great attraction to hip hop artists because of the intricacies of their lyrics and the interwoven beats that went with those lyrics. Clever wordplay (indirection by Asante) was always the center point focus of many of the hip hop artists I listened and still listen to today. Although many rappers have become more aggressive and straightforward in their delivery there is still a heavy emphasis on using language to "stalk" around the real issues or meanings meant to be conveyed in the music. It is in these spaces I feel most at home discussing rhetoric. The deep spiritual and emotional roots that are inherent in African rhetorics seems to strike a chord with me unlike any other rhetoric. The classics are classics in the Western tradition (Aristotle, Plato etc.). However, it seems that not a lot of consideration is given to the melding and fusing of the African tradition with that of the Western tradition. Not with one being lesser or more than the other, but a complete binding of the two on an equal plane to produce a string of rhetorics that are wholly unique the landscape of rhetorics.
This melding has stirred me greatly in my formative years as a graduate student and I'm sure that I'll be moving in the direction of incorporating that in to not only my teaching philosophy, but my position as a scholar as well.
Nice focus on African rhetoric here. I think you have specific connections to music which make good sense. I'm fascinated by some rap, but I really enjoy studying music videos, and thinking about how the words develop more meaning with there's a visual representation of them. Perhaps with African rhetoric there is always a familiar beat which does something similar--connects and resonates. Some might call that enthymemic rhetoric; that is, building on what the audience already knows to be true. The beats are true, they're part of a cultural understanding. You might think about taking a course or studying jazz, as well.
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteI totally understand where you are coming from. This tension is what originally drew me towards wanting to write about and explore the ways students of marginalized discourses experience the online classroom. (Although I think my focus dissertation-wise has shifted, my interest is still present.) Here, it always seems to be about right and wrong. It's a power play. Academics and professionals must master (White) academic English in order to succeed; however, it is not only egocentric and Eurocentric to take that stance, it also denies us the ability to reach a large part of our audience.
It wasn't until I was reading your reaction to Borcher's section on Afrocentrism that June Jordan's article came to mind. Have you read "Nobody mean more to me than you and the future life of Willie Jordan"? If you haven't, I suggest it. It's brief, but it explores Black English in the context of a class's reaction to an unfair, racially-charged event in one of their classmate's life. Very interesting stuff.
Agreed. I find the indirection to be the most fascinating part. Talking about an issue while talking around the issue (and very poetically) is a hook; you want to hear the songs again to make sure you caught it the first time.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of "stalking" that you mention is very interesting. It's strange to think about, but many Western cultures are very blunt and to the point. I grew up in Minnesota and my mom is a native German, so being blunt was just part of everyday conversation. When someone would talk around the issue, I would always get impatient with the person and wonder why they wouldn't just spit out what they're trying to say. It wasn't until I moved to ND and then to TX that I realized that other cultures have different ways of communicating. I started to offend people with the way I talked and hurt people's feelings. I didn't mean to, to me I was just saying it how it was, just like I grew up to do. I've been enlightened since then and know many people do not appreciate bluntness.
ReplyDelete