[289] MTSU Honors Lecture Series on ‘rhetoric in contemporary culture’ is open to the public

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The general public is welcome to join an MTSU Honors College class for the weekly spring Honors Lecture Series on “Rhetoric in Contemporary Culture.”

The series, which began Jan. 30, continues at 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13. Associate professor Mary Evins, coordinator for the American Democracy Project on campus, shares “Civil Discourse as Core Academic Value and Core American Value” with the class.

The spring lecture series takes place from 3 to 3:55 p.m. every Monday except March 6 when MTSU students are out on spring break. The rhetoric series ends April 10.

The series, which is free to the public, has been a staple in the fall and spring semesters for two decades. It features focused topics and presenters from multiple disciplines on and off campus. It is a required class for upper division Honors College students.

Lectures are held in Simmons Amphitheatre, Room 106, in the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. Visitors attending the lectures should obtain a special one-day permit from MTSU’s Office of Parking and Transportation. To find the parking office and parking near the Honors College, visit http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap.

Politics, social issues, climate change are among the upcoming lectures. To view the full schedule, visit http://mtsu.edu/honors/lecture-series/2017-spring.php.

“Rhetoric in Contemporary Culture” explores arguments that people use for various contemporary, and often controversial, topics, said Kaylene Gebert, former MTSU provost and an Honors College faculty member. 

“While rhetoric is an ancient art, rhetoric or persuasion is clearly evident in our daily world, including a newer form, social media,” added Gebert, who collaborated with associate dean Philip Phillips on the theme and scheduling presenters.

“The series provides a diverse, yet powerful, set of exemplars, pictures, arguments and studies that pervade our culture and attempt to persuade us,” Gebert said. “The goal of the series is to promote informed reflection and constructive dialogue on rhetoric and the pervasive role it plays in how we perceive the world around us.”

For more information, call 615-898-2152.