In this course, we have examined different types of rhetoric. In this section of the course, we are focusing on visual rhetoric as it relates to public persuasion. In “Visual Rhetoric, Photojournalism, and Democratic Public Culture” John Louis Lucaites and Robert Hariman discuss the rhetoric of popular images within a society. Lucaites and Hariman argue that iconic photographs “mark fundamental relationships between the practice of photojournalism and twentieth‐century American democratic public culture” (38). Now that we are fully entrenched in the 21st century, we can pose similar questions about current visual rhetoric. This paper asks you to apply the authors’ arguments to a contemporary journalistic photograph within a larger public culture and speculate about the significance of the image based on their definition of iconic.
PROCEDURES
- Select a recent photo (I have selected for you already) that can arguably be categorized as journalistic and potentially iconic based on Lucaites and Hariman’s definitions
- Precisely analyze and describe the photo
- Conduct and exhibit a variety of research on your photo (including citation information) on the photographer, the context in which it was taken, the meaning of the symbols in the image, your interpretation, and related issues and events. Librarian Leslie Hurst will guide some of our work.
- Discuss the relationship(s) between the photo and a “public culture” or a public conversation or movement
- Speculate about the image’s iconic potential by applying Lucaites and Harriman’s definition of iconic photojournalism
REQUIREMENTS
- Use of a image about Black Friday that I selected (attached in “file 2”).
- Speculate about the image’s iconic potential by applying Lucaites and Harriman’s definition of iconic photojournalism (include the definition in your paper)
- Identify and describe photo and the context of the photo
- Perform an analysis of the photo
- Discuss the relationship(s) between the photo and a “public culture” or a public conversation or movement
- 2,000 words double-spaced (8-10 pages), you must embed or attach your image to your paper
- APA, MLA or CMS format.
- Include at least four sources to discuss context of photo, interpretation of image, information on photographer, discussion or journalism or iconic images, including at least one peer-reviewed academic article (in addition to the Lucaites and Hariman, which must be used in your paper)
- Clearly written, with introduction, conclusion and logical organization
DUE DATES
Feb. 19st draft due (at least 4 pages)
Feb. 23nd draft due (at least 8 pages draft for instructor comments)
Feb. 28- Final draft due
GRADING
Your papers will be evaluated using the following rubric:
| Criteria | Yes | No | |
| Use of an instructor-approved image taken within the last three years | |||
| Criteria | Mastering | Achieving | Lacking development |
| Speculate about the image’s iconic potential by applying Lucaites and Harriman’s definition of iconic photojournalism (include the definition in your paper)
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| Identify and describe photo and the context of the photo
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| Perform an analysis of the photo
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| Discuss the relationship(s) between the photo and a “public culture” or a public conversation or movement
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| Introduction and conclusion | |||
| 2,000 words double-spaced (8-10 pages), you must embed or attach your image to your paper
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| APA, MLA or CMS format | |||
| In-text and end citations | |||
| Source relevance and incorporation | |||
| Clear writing |
