Kassian A. Kovalcheck (B.A.Wabash College, 1965; M.A., Ph.D. Indiana University, 1967, '72) came to Vanderbilt in 1969.  His research interests are political debate in Northern Ireland, (he offers a Maymester course in the Rhetoric of Irish Nationalism), American Labor rhetoric, first amendment values, and the development of the idea of liberty.  Professor Kovalcheck currently teaches CMST 222:  Rhetorical Criticism; CMST 223:  Values in American Communication; CMST 100:  Public Speaking; and CMST 201:  Persuasion.

  Communication Studies 223
 VALUES IN MODERN COMMUNICATION
 Mr. Kovalcheck
 Fall, 2001

 "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.
 VALUES IN MODERN COMMUNICATION is a course that seeks to examine the issues and controversies that are contained in recent efforts at public persuasion and discourse.  Inherent in the development of those issues are the values that both form the context for argument and provide the substance of argument.  Accordingly, Communication Studies 223 will be devoted to investigating a variety of forms of modern communication and a range of values expressed by and reflected in such communication.  The first value to be examined will be the concept of freedom of speech and the arguments surrounding this freedom.  The class will then consider and analyze several major areas of modern communication.
 Communication Studies 223 will have two internal examinations.  Each examination will count 20% of the course grade.  On December 5, 2001 a 1000-2000 word paper responding to examples of values reflected in modern communication will be due. Note: In keeping with John Stuart Mill and a tradition of justice, any late papers will suffer a penalty and the later the paper, the more severe the penalty.  This assignment will be explained more completely, but will require the student to analyze and respond to values and modern communication.  This paper will also count 20% of the course grade.  The final examination will complete the course requirements and will count 40% of the course grade.

August 29--Introduction to the course.
August 31--Introduction to equality and liberty.
September 3--The development of freedom of speech. [Read Tedford, Chapts. 1,2.]
September 5-7--John Stuart Mill's On Liberty.
September 10--Mill's The Subjection of Women.
September 12- Berlin, Himmelfarb
September 14---Hutton, Stephen, Rees
September 17-- Waldron, Okin
September 19-28--Modern view of Freedom of Speech [Read Tedford, Chapts. 3,4,8,9]
October 1--Examination #1.
October 3-Examination #1
October 5--The values of progress.
October 8-15--Values in Law and Communication. [Read Tedford, Chapt. 5,6] Read McKinnon, Only Words.
October 17-31, November 5-12--Values in education, politics, mass media, and advertising.  [Read Tedford, Chapts. 7,,10,11,] Note: There will be additional, as yet to be determined, readings at this point..
November 14--Examination #2
November 16--Examination #2.
November 26-30--Values and Ideology.
December 3-5--Values and Technology [Read Tedford, Chapt. 12, 13.]
December 5--paper is due.
December 7-10--Values and Religion.
December 12--Conclusion, [Read Tedford, Chapt. 14.]Communication Studies 223
 

 Communication Studies 222
  Spring 2001

Rhetorical Criticism is a course that seeks to examine standards for evaluating rhetorical communication.  The purpose of the course is to make judgments about communication, whether it is or is not effective and why it is or is not effective.  We will also seek to determine, effectiveness aside, if the communication is desirable or undesirable.  The beginning point for this examination will be Plato's Gorgias and Aristotle's Rhetoric.  Plato raised questions about the nature and purpose of rhetoric that remain to this day, while Aristotle formulated the first known systematic treatment of rhetoric.  The remainder of the rhetorical tradition will be considered in lecture and specific readings.  The semester will conclude with an examination of recent viewpoints on rhetoric, society, and the humanistic tradition.

Communication Studies 222 will have two internal examinations.  Each examination will count 20% of the course grade.  The course will also require two criticisms of 800-1200 words covering a common example of rhetoric.  Each criticism will count 15% of the course grade.  The final examination will count 30% of the course grade.

January 11:  Introduction to the Course.
January 16:  The basis of criticism.  Read The Rhetorical Tradition: Readings from Classical Times to   the Present, pp. 1-16.
January 18:  The early rhetorical tradition and the Greek World. Read The Rhetorical Tradition, pp. 19-66.
January 23-25:  The pre-Aristotelians. Read The Rhetorical Tradition, pp. 67-168.
January 30-February 1:  Aristotle, read Rhetorical Tradition, pp. 169-240.
February 6-8:  Roman rhetorical tradition. Read Rhetorical Tradition, pp. 283-428.
February 13:  Examination #1.
February 15-22:  Rhetoric of the Middle Ages.  Read Rhetorical Tradition, pp.  429-485; 525-552.
February 27-March 1:  Rhetoric of the Renaissance:  Read Rhetorical Tradition, 553-779.
March 1:  Criticism #1 is due.
March 13-15:  Rhetoric of the Enlightenment I.  Read Rhetorical Tradition, pp.789-888;898-946.
March 20:  Examination #2.
March 22:  Rhetoric of the Enlightenment II.  Read Rhetorical Tradition, 947-980; 983-984:1000-1030.
March 27-29:  Rhetoric of the 19th Century.  Read Rhetorical Tradition, pp: 991-999: 1031-1140:1152-1180
April 3-19:  Rhetoric of the 20th Century.  Read Rhetorical Tradition, pp. 1181-1205; 1246-1269;12951520; 1605-1628.
April 17:  Criticism #2 is due.
April 24:  Conclusion