Content Development: Waller 1 Anna Waller Theories of Rhetoric Dr.

Cox 28 February 2012 Rhetorical Self-Analysis of, From Rhetoric to Reality 1. Introduction: RhetoricA Commitment that Entails Risk As Chapter 4: Making Commitments through Rhetoric, of Introduction to Rhetorical Theory by Gerard Hauser explains, rhetoric makes commitments, and every rhetorical transaction involves personal stakes for the participants. Anytime discontinuity arises, a rhetor is thrust with a choice. Will the rhetor choose to take on the responsibility of solving the rhetorical situation? Or will he or she set the volatile object down in distaste and walk away? How will the rhetor choose to interpret the situation and translate meaning to an audience? Though there is freedom in making these choices, once the rhetor has signed up for the job, he or she must be willing fulfill the undertaking with care and honesty, as set forth in Henry Johnstones Conditions for a Genuine Argument. As the subject matter of this self-analysis testifiesan exploration of how divergent national policies affect the rate of sex trafficking in Sweden and the Netherlandsengaging in rhetoric is a powerful, reality-altering practice in which both the rhetor and the audience are certain to come away changed. Rhetoric is much more than smooth words spliced together; it is a commitment to use ethical, meaningful symbols to coordinate social action in hopes of achieving a goal. 2. Content for Self-Analysis For my self-analysis I choose to examine a research piece that I wrote for my Global

Content Development: Waller 2 Issues class entitled, From Rhetoric to Reality: How National Policy Affects Sex Trafficking in Sweden and the Netherlands. I choose to analyze this piece because the subject matter itself illustrates on a large scale how rhetoric can be used to alter reality in both a positive and negative way. The paper sheds light on the facts, twenty-seven million people world-wide are held in some form of slavery, forced prostitution or bonded laborgenerating $31.6 billion dollars in global annual profits, and builds its argument on the claim, though Sweden and the Netherlands are two relatively similar countries in terms of culture and socioeconomic conditions, their national policies on the sex industrywhich in turn contribute to the occurrence of sex traffickingcould not be more diverse. The paper contrasts the positive outcome of Swedens adoption of the national policy to enforce criminalization of the sex industry in 1999 with the consequences of the Netherlands adoption of the national policy to protect the legalization of the sex industry in 2000. The paper goes on to show how Swedens criminalization efforts have dramatically diminished the sex industry, and, consequently, instances of human trafficking, while the Netherlands decriminalization efforts have witnessed the exact opposite trenda steady growth of the sex industry and an alarming number of human trafficking cases that increase each year. 3. Theoretical Lens: The Commitment within Rhetorical Transaction As Hauser explains in Introduction to Rhetorical Theory, Rhetorical communication is typically concerned with bringing about agreement, often with the further goal of eliciting actionAudienceoriented communication involves us in the continual effort to adjust ideas and people to one another (63). The theory that involves rhetorical transactions defines expressive communication as being self-directed, primarily for the purpose of venting, while instrumental communication is defined as being other-directed, which uses appeals in order to influence an

Content Development: Waller 3 audience to achieve a goal (Hauser 62-63). From here, Hauser makes note of two potential problems that may come out of a rhetorical transaction, the problem of being true to our own [the rhetors] ideas while adapting them to the audiences readiness to respond, and, the obvious possibility that persuasive communication may encourage actions that are not necessarily in the audiences best interest (63). In order to combat these problems, Hauser suggests using Henry Johnsons Conditions for a Genuine Argument which follow: 1) The rhetor should assume that the audience is, beyond their control, and regard the members as humans with free will; 2) The rhetor must acknowledge that the audience, is free to ignore, disbelieve or even refute, the argument posed; and, finally, 3) Both the rhetor and the audience must, have an interest in the outcome of the arguments, and consider the consequences of their participation in the process (64). The key point of the theory of rhetoric as transaction is to understand that a rhetorical exchange between a rhetor and an audience is a commitment to follow though and accept the outcomes of this dynamic event, whatever they may be. Both parties must be willing to reassess their beliefs and values to any given extent based on the outcome of the rhetorical experience. Thus, rhetorical transaction is a commitment. 4. Self-Analysis, From Rhetoric to Reality In this paper, I attempted to write to humans, about humans for the sake of human change. My number one priority was to use utilize a wide range of effective and credible sources (ranging from the U.S. State Departments Trafficking in Persons Report to peer-reviewed research reports from Sweden) to ensure honesty and relate ethos to my audience. I also worked to create a bilateral presentation for the audience by building up a knowledge base concerning

Content Development: Waller 4 human trafficking in a section entitled, The Larger Issue, which asserts, The dichotomy of national policies revolving around human trafficking issues in Sweden and the Netherlands is framed by the larger issue that though slavery is no longer legal anywhere in the world, twentyseven million people world-wide are held in some form of slavery, forced prostitution or bonded labor. By defining clearly the terms and types of human trafficking in another section entitled, Definition and Types of Human Trafficking, I also worked to give my side of the transaction the most honesty and credibility I could. This paper displays characteristics of instrumental (other-directed) communication for the purpose of stirring people to vote for social justice in statements including, Contrary to the perspective that the decriminalization of the sex industry dignifies the women, in reality, decriminalization dignifies the sex industry, promotes a friendly, open market for traffickers and normalizes prostitution as an option for the poor, and, This examination of diverse national policies illustrates how rhetoric is a powerful tool to awaken certain realitiesas long as men are able to buy, sell, and prostitute women, gender inequality and violence will persist. My commitment through this process was simply to inform the audience with straightforward facts about the reality of human trafficking around the world, in order to get them to think about how rhetoric in America can make a difference in cases of human rights and social justice. Through this analysis, I can also see how my paper utilized elements of Henry Johnstones Conditions for a Genuine Argument in that I do not present a defined call-to-action. In giving the audience an open-ended opportunity for action, I am releasing with them to consider the argument for themselves, and either reject or take on as much responsibility as they feel necessary. I am opening up the audience to choice, freedom, and risk.

Content Development: Waller 5 For me, the entire process of crafting this paperfrom researching sources, to interpreting stories and statistics and translating these symbols in a meaningful way for the audience could not help but change my perspective. With this new knowledge, I am starting to research brands of chocolate, coffee, and clothing before I buy them, as these sectors often have close ties to human rights/trafficking violations. Though this can often be an overwhelming moral obligation that is simply easier to overlook, this research project has imprinted the face of human trafficking into my memory in a way that I cannot ignore. If this paper is effective, I hope that the audience might also be compelled to engage in anti-trafficking efforts, or at least understand how important legislation is for protecting equality and human rights. Exposure to an unsettling reality as a result of engaging in a rhetorical transaction has real consequences that may incline an individual to reassess aspects of their unique identity including beliefs, values, and opinions. Yet, in the end, this fierce commitment to tell and search for the truth proves a rewarding challenge. In the words of Richard Vatz, Rhetoric creates reality. If this is the case, should we not attempt to create a world we would actually like to live in?

Content Development: Waller 6 Work Cited Hauser, Gerard A. Introduction to Rhetorical Theory. 2nd Ed. Long Grove: Waveland Press, 2002. Print