Under the Influence: An Introduction to Persuasion

This seminar introduces students to the ancient art of persuasion, as taught in Aristotle’ Rhetoric and modified throughout the ages. Students will explore new and time-honored strategies for winning over hearts and minds, learning to play both offense and defense and using “all available means of persuasion,” including modes like video and audio. This class is about learning to write and speak deliberately, knowingly, with purpose and conviction to persuade others, to induce their willing cooperation, or even to change hearts and minds–with special emphasis placed on ethical considerations in persuasion.