Feminism, difference(s), and rhetorical studies

Women's Rhetoric in History: A Process-Oriented Turn and Continued Recovery

“…Unfortunately, by focusing on a specific group's rhetoric, scholars risk essentializing members of that group (what Bonnie Dow labels the ''difference'' model of feminist scholarship) or subordinating their rhetoric as a lesser, lessgeneralizable sub-set of the larger field. 11 If anything, however, the books discussed here highlight the many different material and rhetorical ways of being a ''woman'' in history, as well as the value in studying the process of rhetorical creation regardless of the rhetoric's product or the rhetor's gender, race, or class. As Susan Zaeske explains, and as these books demonstrate, women ''did and do influence society'' and their discourse can tell us as much or more about rhetorical history, theory, and practice as can men's discourse.…”

Transmitters, Caregivers, and Flowerpots: Rhetorical Constructions of Women's Early Identities in the AIDS Pandemic

“…Foss , 1996;Dow, 1995 ). A basic tenet of femin ist sc holarship conce ptualizes ge nde r as a critical co mponent of hum an life that serves as a lens or filter thro ugh whic h all other percept ion s pass (Crenshaw, 1996;K.…”

Gender, Rhetoric, and Power: Toward a Model of Reciprocal Empowerment

“…Therefore, when differences are mediated within a discursive framework that helps to build the kind of connection and interdependence that Downey discusses, reciprocal empowerment is at work. FinalIy, Dow (1995) argues that notions of difference are not necessarily gendered: "any group that faces a unique rhetorical obstacle is likely to prove worthy of study, because its rhetorical strategies wilI tend to be inventive and interesting" (p. 107). For example, Dow discusses Collins' s (1990) argument that communicative characteristics are "a product of the experience of subordinate groups generalIy and are not necessarily linked to womanhood specifically" (p. 109).…”