
The History and Theory of Rhetoric
An Introduction
Routledge (Publisher)
8th Edition
Published on 18. August 2025
Book
Hardback
366 pages
978-1-032-81661-6 (ISBN)
Description
By tracing the traditional progression of rhetoric from the Greek Sophists to contemporary theorists, this updated eighth edition gives students a conceptual framework for evaluating and practicing persuasive writing and speaking in a wide range of settings, including written, visual, and digital media.
Through an expansive historical purview, the book illustrates how persuasive public discourse performs essential social functions and shapes our societies, drawing on the ideas of many of history's greatest thinkers and theorists. This new edition includes an integrated exploration of non-Western rhetorics, an updated account of contemporary rhetoric, and an enhanced analysis of rhetorical theory in a digital age. Known for its clear writing style and contemporary examples throughout, The History and Theory of Rhetoric emphasizes the relevance of rhetoric to today's students.
This revised edition serves as a core textbook for rhetoric courses in both English and communication programs, covering both the historical tradition of rhetoric and contemporary rhetoric studies.
A suite of online resources, including a detailed instructor's manual, PowerPoint slides, and videos from Dr. Winslow, can be found on the Instructor and Student Resources website at www.routledgelearning.com/historyofrhetoric.
Through an expansive historical purview, the book illustrates how persuasive public discourse performs essential social functions and shapes our societies, drawing on the ideas of many of history's greatest thinkers and theorists. This new edition includes an integrated exploration of non-Western rhetorics, an updated account of contemporary rhetoric, and an enhanced analysis of rhetorical theory in a digital age. Known for its clear writing style and contemporary examples throughout, The History and Theory of Rhetoric emphasizes the relevance of rhetoric to today's students.
This revised edition serves as a core textbook for rhetoric courses in both English and communication programs, covering both the historical tradition of rhetoric and contemporary rhetoric studies.
A suite of online resources, including a detailed instructor's manual, PowerPoint slides, and videos from Dr. Winslow, can be found on the Instructor and Student Resources website at www.routledgelearning.com/historyofrhetoric.
More details
Edition
8th edition
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Postgraduate, Undergraduate Advanced, and Undergraduate Core
Illustrations
28 s/w Abbildungen, 28 s/w Photographien bzw. Rasterbilder
28 Halftones, black and white; 28 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 260 mm
Width: 183 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
915 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-032-81661-6 (9781032816616)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
08/2025
8th Edition
Routledge
€123.99
Available for download

E-Book
08/2025
8th Edition
Routledge
€123.99
Available for download

Book
08/2025
8th Edition
Routledge
€124.90
Shipment within 10-20 days
Previous edition

Book
12/2020
7th Edition
Routledge
€204.27
Shipment within 15-20 days
Persons
Luke Winslow is Associate Professor of Rhetorical Studies in the Department of Communication at Baylor University. His teaching and research interests include rhetorical studies, political communication, and the rhetoric of religion. He is the author of numerous scholarly essays and five books, including Oligarchy in America: Power, Justice, and the Rule of the Few. He lives in Waco, Texas, with his wife, Addie, and their three children.
James A. Herrick was Emeritus Professor of Communication at Hope College, USA. His publications included Argumentation: Understanding and Shaping Arguments, 6th edition (2017) and Visions of Technological Transcendence: Human Enhancement and the Rhetoric of the Future (2017). In 2020, Dr. Herrick retired after teaching at Hope College for 36 years. He passed away on May 24, 2024.
James A. Herrick was Emeritus Professor of Communication at Hope College, USA. His publications included Argumentation: Understanding and Shaping Arguments, 6th edition (2017) and Visions of Technological Transcendence: Human Enhancement and the Rhetoric of the Future (2017). In 2020, Dr. Herrick retired after teaching at Hope College for 36 years. He passed away on May 24, 2024.
Content
1. An Overview of Rhetoric 2. The Origins and Early History of Rhetoric 3. Plato versus the Sophists: Rhetoric on Trial 4. Aristotle on Rhetoric 5. Rhetoric at Rome 6. Rhetoric in Christian Europe and North America 7. Rhetoric in the Renaissance 8. Enlightenment Rhetoric 9. Rhetoric and Modernity 10. Rhetoric and Postmodernity 11. Rhetoric in the Twenty-First Century