PWR 1RW: Writing for Liberation: The Rhetoric of Antiracism

In 1979, James Baldwin stated in an interview, “You write in order to change the world…The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change it.” In this class, we will explore the power of writing to change the world, paying particular attention to the role of language and narrative in movements for racial justice throughout U.S. history. We will consider how national discussions about race are rhetorically constructed, exploring how language can be leveraged to support or challenge different racial beliefs and systems. Our central goal will be to assess how rhetoric can foster interracial dialogue and advocate for a more just society.

Throughout this course, we will consider the following questions: What role does language and narrative play in shaping racial issues and overcoming racial conflict? What kinds of rhetorical strategies do activists, scholars, and artists use to advocate for social change? How might discourse support or impede movements for racial liberation? Along the way, you will engage in individual research by investigating a racial issue of your choosing. For example, you might explore debates about affirmative action, examine arguments for and against defunding the police, consider whether ethnic studies should be banned or adopted in public education, assess various proposals for reparations, evaluate competing claims about the consequences of racial bias in artificial intelligence, or analyze conversations surrounding immigration reform. Throughout this intellectual journey, you will develop critical thinking skills, conduct ethical research, and learn how to develop research-based arguments.

PWR 1 Assignment Sequence

Rhetorical Analysis

(1200-1500 words; 4-5 pages) For this assignment, you will select a text and analyze how it uses rhetorical strategies to advance an argument about race, comment upon race relations in our society, or advocate for some form of race-based social change. Possible genres that you might choose from include op-eds, essays, manifestos, interviews, comics, letters, stories, podcasts, talk show skits, social media posts, and spoken word poetry.

Texts in Conversation

(1800-2400 words; 6-8 pages) This assignment will serve as a foundation for the Research-Based Argument paper. You will select an issue related to race and examine 4-6 sources that focus on this issue, analyzing how the authors frame this issue, what the authors hope to achieve in writing about this issue, and how the authors converge and diverge in their differing ideas and argumentation. 

Research-Based Argument

(3000-3600 words; 10-12 pages) In this culminating research paper, you will conduct further research on the racial issue you explored for the Texts in Conversation assignment. Drawing upon a variety of reputable sources, you will advance and defend an argument about this issue.