Studying Rhetorical Audiences – a Call for Qualitative Reception Studies in Argumentation and Rhetoric

Abstract

Abstract:In rhetoric and argumentation research studies of empirical audiences are rare. Most studies are speaker or text focused. However, new media and new forms of communication make it harder to distinguish between speaker and audience. The active involvement of users and audiences is more important than ever before. Therefore, this paper argues that rhetorical research should reconsider the understanding, conceptualization and examination of the rhetorical audience. From mostly understanding audiences as theoretical constructions that are examined textually and speculatively, we should give more attention to empirical explorations of actual audiences and users.Résumé: Dans la rhétorique et la recherche de l'argumentation les études empiriques d'auditoires sont rares dans les recherches des disciplines de la rhétorique et de l'argumentation. La plupart des études sont axées sur le locuteur ou sur le texte. Cependant, les nouveaux médias et les nouvelles formes de communication rendent plus difficile la tâche de distinguer l'interlocuteur de son auditoire. La participation active des utilisateurs des médias et de leur auditoire est plus importante que jamais. Par conséquent, cet article soutient que la recherche rhétorique devrait reconsidérer la compréhension, la conceptualisation et l'examen de l'auditoire rhétorique. Nous devrions accorder plus d'attention à des explorations empiriques des auditoires et de des utilisateurs des médias au lieu d'interpréter généralement les auditoires comme des constructions théoriques qui sont examinées textuellement et spéculativement.

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