Rhetoric Society Quarterly Mar 2003

What happened at the first American writers’ congress? Kenneth Burke's “revolutionary symbolism in America”

Ann George Texas Christian University ; Jack Selzer Pennsylvania State University

Abstract

Abstract Burke's famous performance at the First American Writers’ Congress in 1935 should be understood in relation to its occasion. The Congress was held to enlist the services of writers in creating a broad Popular Front, or People's Front, to encourage social change, so Burke's recommendation that “the people”; ought to be substituted for “the worker”; in Communist Party symbolism—that “propaganda by inclusion”; ought to succeed “propaganda by exclusion “—was actually in moderate keeping with the Congress’ broad aim. Though his recommendation was resisted by some, Burke was actually not so much marginalized by the Congress as identified with its controversies.

Journal
Rhetoric Society Quarterly
Published
2003-03-01
DOI
10.1080/02773940309391253
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Open Access
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Topics
modern rhetorical theory public rhetoric
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (5)

  1. Pezzullo et al. (2018)
    Resistance: Taking a Stand, Struggling to Matter
    Rhetoric Society Quarterly
  2. Jack (2008)
    Kenneth Burke's Constabulary Rhetoric: Sociorhetorical Critique inAttitudes Tow…
    Rhetoric Society Quarterly
  3. DeGenaro (2007)
    “The New Deal”: Burkean Identification and Working-Class Poetics
    Rhetoric Review
  4. Weiser (2007)
    Burke and War: Rhetoricizing the Theory of Dramatism
    Rhetoric Review
  5. Hawhee (2004)
    Burke on Drugs
    Rhetoric Society Quarterly

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CrossRef global citation count: 11 View in citation network → Build reading path →

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