Rhetorical Theory and Ecological Discourse
Summary
Since antiquity rhetorical theory has provided the analytical framework for understanding how language shapes thought, persuasion and social practice. In recent decades, scholars have brought ecological concerns to the fore, tracing how discursive strategies construct, contest and negotiate human–environment relations. This emergent field examines everything from classical appeals to ethos, pathos and logos in environmental appeals, to contemporary metaphors that frame climate change as crisis, opportunity or moral duty. By attending to the material and symbolic dimensions of discourse, researchers reveal how language not only represents ecosystems but also exerts agency in policy formation, public perception and conservation practice. The interdisciplinary nature of this work draws on environmental humanities, communication studies and anthropology, and stresses global significance as communities worldwide contend with biodiversity loss, resource conflicts and sustainability challenges.
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Rhetorical Theory and Ecological Discourse publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in rhetorical theory and ecological discourse across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Eco-rhetoric: The study of persuasive strategies and discursive structures that shape human engagement with ecological issues.
New Materialism: An interdisciplinary approach emphasising the agency of non-human entities and material processes in rhetorical practices.
Decolonial Critique: Analytical perspective that interrogates colonial power relations and recovers marginalised voices in environmental discourse.
Metaphorical Framing: The use of figurative language to structure understanding of abstract ecological concepts through more familiar domains.
Immersion: A narrative technique that intensifies reader engagement by constructing vivid, multi-sensory representations of ecological phenomena.
References
- Resisting “the World of the Powerful”: “Wild” Steam and the Creation of Yellowstone National Park. Frontiers in Communication (2021).
- Rhétorique des fleurs absentes : Les scrupules académiques et stylistiques des récits d’expédition. Viatica (2020).
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