Ethics in Contact Rhetoric: Communication and the Dance of Bodies and Power

Ethics in Contact Rhetoric re-orients communication theory by centering touch and de-centering symbolic acts. Inspired by MLK’s tradition of nonviolent power, a contact orientation highlights the incarnate and immediate ground of communication ethics. Ethical interactions are defined as bio-relational dances arcing steps of nurture, respect, justice, and too often, violence. Centering humanity’s physical mutuality is a vital move today. Communication is a thoroughly interactive art, but the West’s ancient ＂instrumental＂ tradition of rhetoric and its accompanying utilitarian ethic valorize individual agency over joint action. This book re-balances rhetorical theory by enabling critique of embodied relational patterns. Special emphasis is placed on engaging material injustice and discerning the role of rhetoric in social transformation. Critical case studies demonstrate contact rhetoric’s rich heuristic and diverse applications.

Jon Radwan is associate professor of communication and director of the Institute for Communication and Religion in Seton Hall University’s College of Human Development, Culture, and Media.

Dale Cyphert is professor emerita, Wilson College of Business, University of Northern Iowa.

Ellen W. Gorsevski is associate professor in the School of Media and Communication at Bowling Green State University.

Omar Swartz is associate professor of political science at the University of Colorado Denver.