Theorizing Rhetoric Through Criticism

This article examines rhetorical criticism as a central approach in contemporary rhetorical studies and a generative site for theorizing rhetoric. Responding to the call of this special issue, we showcase how rhetoric theorizes by advancing a twofold argument. First, we contend that rhetorical criticism—widely practiced in the USA, Scandinavia, and parts of Europe—functions not only as a mode for analyzing rhetorical texts and artifacts, but also as a means of advancing rhetorical theory through sustained, theory-driven engagement with those materials. Second, we argue that the evolving conception of what counts as a rhetorical object—expanding beyond traditional texts to include visual, multimodal, material, and ephemeral forms—constitutes a significant mode of theorizing rhetoric in its own right. By exploring how rhetorical criticism operates as a concept-oriented praxis and by tracing how it continually reconceptualizes its objects of study, we demonstrate how it innovates its critical praxis and contributes to theoretical development in contemporary rhetorical studies. To support this argument, we offer a definition of rhetorical criticism, a brief disciplinary history of criticism, and a reflection on longstanding debates about text and context. Throughout, we draw on examples of seminal works that illustrate rhetorical criticism’s dual function as both analytical practice and theoretical enterprise. Ultimately, we advocate a critical perspective that understands rhetorical criticism as a site where theory and praxis are not only entangled but mutually constitutive.