The Rhetorical Power of Popular Culture: Considering Mediated Texts

Can television shows like Desperate Housewives, popular songs like Shaggy’s It Wasn’t Me, advertisements for Samuel Adams beer, and films such as Harry Potter help us understand rhetorical theory and criticism? The Rhetorical Power of Popular Culture is chock full of familiar examples like these to make rhetorical theory and criticism accessible, relevant, and meaningful to readers. Author Deanna Sellnow offers a step-by-step introduction to rhetorical theory and criticism by focusing on the powerful roles TV programs, advertisements, music, comics, and movies play in persuading us on what to believe and how to behave.

Key Features

• Clarifies theoretical concepts using a broad range of familiar examples from TV, film, music, advertisements, and comics
• Proposes a consistent step-by-step approach to conducting a rhetorical analysis of popular culture texts focused on describing, interpreting, and evaluating
• Engages readers in the hands-on process of popular cultural criticism with end-of-chapter sample essays and challenge exercises
• Fosters critical thinking and retention of key concepts by encouraging readers to actively apply concepts through “Applying What You’ve Learned” boxes embedded in each chapter

Intended Audience
This pragmatic book makes an excellent text for courses exploring the intersections of popular culture, communication, sociology, and identity. It is a must-have for anyone interested in examining the powerfully persuasive rhetorical messages that pervade our daily lives.