Proving, pleasing and persuading: why ancient rhetoric still matters

Professor Henriette van der Blom Inaugural Lecture

In a world full of political communication yet starved of proper political debate, a return to the ancient rhetorical principles for producing passionate and persuasive speeches provides a plausible solution. But is our understanding of ancient rhetoric correct, and what does rhetoric mean today?

In this lecture, Professor Henriette van der Blom challenges the standard picture of the ancient orator and the role of rhetoric in contemporary society, and she offers new ways to think about and engage with public speech and persuasive argument to the benefit of us all and our democratic states.

Inaugural lectures are a landmark in academic life, held on the appointment of new professorships. Join us to learn more about the work of Dr Henriette van der Blom.

The lecture will be from 17:00, followed by a drinks reception.

You can learn more about our other forthcoming talks and view our archive of previous lectures on our CAL Inaugural Lectures webpage.