Lexington Books
Pages: 248
•
Trim: 6⅜ x 9¼
978-0-7391-9393-8 • Hardback • April 2015 • $142.00 • (£109.00)
978-1-4985-1569-6 • Paperback • November 2016 • $59.99 • (£46.00)
978-0-7391-9394-5 • eBook • April 2015 • $57.00 • (£44.00)
Richard K. Ghere is associate professor at the University of Dayton where he is a researcher in the Human Rights Center.
1 Introduction: Rhetoric and Human Rights Advocacy
2 Advocacy Rhetoric through Thick and Thin: A Conceptual Backdrop
3 Rhetoric in Moral Crises
4 Rhetoric in Moral Confrontations
5 Rhetoric in Moral Projects
6 Rhetoric in Moral Work
7 Dialectical Human Rights Advocacy
In this work, Ghere examines the rhetoric of human rights advocates and those who attempt to obstruct rights causes and argues that examining advocacy adds to the 'understanding [of] the successes and failures of human rights efforts in particular cultural and national contexts.' The cases chosen focus on praxis and address the rhetorical character of argumentation, the effect of cultural and institutional factors on rhetoric, and whether advocates appear to follow ethical orientations. The author pays particular attention to new rhetoric and the role of audience and context in human rights advocacy. Cases include human rights champions such as Iqbal Masih, Pussy Riot, Julian Assange, and Daniel Barenboim. Human rights antagonists covered include Joe Arpaio and Geert Wilders, among others . . . Overall, the work allows readers to think more deeply about how human rights work is done in practice rather than as a theoretical construct. The author’s rhetorical analysis highlights the importance of communication in the (re)construction of ideas, values, and norms at the local level. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.
— Choice Reviews