Interconnectivity
Global Rhetorics and Power Transformation
Will be published approx. on 13. October 2026
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-0-8229-4912-1 (ISBN)
Description
All rhetorics function within the dynamics of power. Hua Zhu proposes interconnectivity as a frame of power transformation. Western understandings of power relations as oppositional and essentialist result in the systematic production of the Other-a structure that is reproduced in the West/non-West hierarchy. Interconnectivity as a new conceptual framework, on the other hand, conceives of any dyadic relationship as "relating-yet-separating" and as a resource for interdependence. It fosters a new discursive order where there is no center to imagine from, but subjects of all kinds can coexist and coevolve. To theorize how this discursive order takes place, Zhu examines the enactment of interconnectivity in different sites, from ancient China to global contact zones and to contemporary writing classrooms. She concretizes how one can act, think, and become to subvert othering and to bring forth a living environment where interlocutors can become interdependent.
Reviews / Votes
Hua Zhu's Interconnectivity matters. It redefines global and comparative rhetorics, setting a new direction for both subfields. It clarifies central concepts in the Chinese rhetorical tradition, revealing the power dynamics within ancient strategies. Most importantly, it is perhaps the first book-length study linking Chinese classical rhetoric to the teaching of writing by international instructors, envisioning a new discursive order of interdependence where the powerful and powerless coexist and evolve together. -- Hui Wu, University of Texas at Tyler In Interconnectivity, Hua Zhu offers a groundbreaking contribution to comparative global rhetorics by theorizing interconnectivity while masterfully employing the art of recontextualization to dismantle essentialist binaries. By interweaving ancient and contemporary global rhetorics, Zhu provides an inspiring pathway to power transformation to promote cross-cultural interdependence and co-evolution. -- Huiling Ding, North Carolina State UniversityMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Pittsburgh PA
United States
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-8229-4912-1 (9780822949121)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Hua Zhu is assistant professor of writing and rhetoric at the University of Utah.