Abstract

AbstractWe argue that decolonization must be a future direction for the study of rhetoric and public address. Settler rhetoricians must not only recognize that the field is founded on settler colonialism but also commit to an ongoing process of unsettling the field and making both mundane and extraordinary tangible engagements with decolonization. What the field needs is to begin charting a path for all rhetoricians to participate with decolonization struggles, particularly settler scholars. Drawing from research from Indigenous scholars and Native American and Indigenous studies, we focus on tactics for settler scholars to engage with this important research trajectory. This essay teases out the distinctions between theories of postcoloniality, decoloniality, and decolonization; highlights the active role rhetoric plays in settler colonialism; and lays out tactics for settler rhetorical scholars to enact forms of accountability and responsibility in their research, at their universities, and in the field of rhetoric.

Journal
Rhetoric & Public Affairs
Published
2021-03-01
DOI
10.14321/rhetpublaffa.24.1-2.0333
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References (57) · 2 in this index

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  2. 7. For example, Devon Abbott Mihesuah, So You Want to Write about American Indians? A Guide for Writers, Stud…
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  7. 11. While our focus will be on settler colonialism, we do not contend that it is the only colonialism worthy …
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  43. 46. Simpson specifically writes about ethnographic refusals, which we argue can be adapted to both rhetorical…
  44. 47. Michelle Fine, Eve Tuck, and Sarah Zeller-Berkman, “Do You Believe in Geneva: Methods and Ethics at the G…
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