Students in Dr. Nicole Pfannenstiel’s summer 2025 writing seminar crafted blog posts exploring Rhetoric & Composition. Over the next several weeks, we will share their work in this space to bring visibility to their posts and offer a variety of perspectives on pertinent topics within Rhetoric & Composition. These posts are written by graduate students currently in the MA and M.Ed. English programs.
The Ecology of Rhetoric
By: Carolann Odi
I define ‘Ecological Rhetoric’ as a form of communication used to persuade and inform audiences in technologically mediated spaces, through a relational approach that prioritizes the dynamic nature of language and interaction within such spaces.
My working definition of ‘Ecological Rhetoric’ is predicated upon ancient Greek formulations of the function of rhetorical practice. Aristotle defined rhetoric as the art of seeing the available means of persuasion in any given situation. He viewed rhetoric as practical and applicable to a wide range of conditions, and as a form of communication shaped by context. In essence, one’s rhetorical approach can and should change based on the situation. Hence, the second part of my definition emphasizes the contextual nature of our engagement with digital spaces.
Donna LeCourt argues that contemporary pedagogy should help students build ‘deliberate reflexivity’, which she defined as attention to “how we read, consume, distribute, and interact with info and how we produce it” (123). Interaction within digital ecologies generates meaning and initiates the potential they carry for social change. However, for this to happen, participants must recognize the active nature of their role in an ecology.
LeCourt argues, “Heightening our awareness of our actions helps us become more open to difference, to consider our reactions as intentional agents in an ecology rather than only in adaptation to it” (123). What is my relation to others within an ecology? How does identity shape that positioning? What role do I play within this space? How do I contribute? What are the implications of my contributions? These questions prompt those who engage in rhetoric to reflect on and consider the context of their engagement and circulation practices. But more importantly, they encourage students to deliberate on their use of discourse and resee their positions within digital spheres.
Rhetoric is not isolated. It does not exist on its own, nor is it the sole creation of a single individual. Just as new assemblages emerge and evolve, so does the discourse we create and revise within them. Therefore, our approach requires adjustment. It is not enough to simply write. Rhetorical practice is a continuous process. As we engage in it, we must actively operate within a state of reflection.
As rhetoricians, everything we do is informed by context. It is incumbent upon us to recognize the gravity of our rhetorical decisions. As Jody Shipka argues in “Toward a Composition Made Whole,” communication can be expressed through multiple modes that create paths to meaning. Within a digital framework, our rhetoric may take the form of a like, a repost, or a view, but each one carries the potential to contribute to public discourse and enact change.
As scholars working within evolving digital ecologies, we must remain aware of how even seemingly insignificant rhetorical actions impact circulation, systems of power, and identity formation. Ecological rhetoric offers an approach for responding to this complexity, one that prioritizes the generative nature of discourse. Engaging with these dynamics allows us to be intentional in our use of and response to rhetoric.
Works Cited/Additional Resources
Eyman, Douglas. Digital Rhetoric: Theory, Method, Practice. Ann Arbor,
University of Michigan Press, 2015.
Jones, John. “Social Media and Persuasion: Crowdsourcing Arguments on
Digital Networks.” Social Media: Usage and Impact, edited by Hana S.
Noor Al-Deen and John A. Hendricks, Lexington Books, 2012.
Lecourt, Donna. Social Mediations. Composition, Literacy, and Culture, 18
June 2024.
Pflaeging, Jana, and Hartmut Stockl. “The Rhetoric of Multimodal
Communication.” Sage Journals, vol. 20, no. 3, 2021,
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14703572211010200.
Rivers, Nathaniel A., and Ryan P. Webber. “Ecological, Pedagogical,
Public Rhetoric.” College Composition and Communication, Dec. 2011, pp.
187–218, www.jstor.org/stable/23131582. Accessed 4 July 2025.
Shipka, Jody. Toward a Composition Made Whole. University Of
Pittsburgh Press, 2011.