Argumentation in public communication I

In public communication, many activities and interactions (oral and written) are characterized by argumentation, as actors are committed to be accountable for their decisions and give reasons for their claims. Argumentation in Public Communication I (3 ECTS) is specifically focused on the argumentative discussion as a means to resolve disagreement through reasonable dialogue; taking into account that well-conducted argumentative interactions ideally increase the quality of communicative exchanges, as they allow avoiding conflict and manipulation.

This course adopts a bottom-up approach, based on the analysis of empirical data (documents, oral discourses) in the field of public communication and on the design of argumentative (oral or written) discourse in specific situations relative to public communication and administrative rhetoric. Students will learn both to analyse and to design argumentative texts (oral or written), focusing on a delicate balance between the critical requirement of resolving disagreement in a reasonable fashion and the attempt to persuade others and win one’s cause. Classes will allow significant space for students’ discussion, group-work, and guided controversy in order to see how argumentation works in practice. Within the general framework of public rhetoric, a special accent will be placed on two key issues: conflict resolution in (public) organizations and argumentation in Swiss semi-direct democracy.