Why We Can't Argue Our Way Out: Rhetorical Alternatives for a Complex Time

Why We Can't Argue Our Way Out: Rhetorical Alternatives for a Complex Time with Dr. Paula Mathieu 16 October 2026 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Upper Lodge A teacher and scholar of rhetoric who loves the study of language and persuasion worries that public argumentative rhetoric isn’t proving especially effective in the current moment. This talk will explore what rhetorical tools might be useful for our divided, bot-filled, AI-fueled, democracy-eroding, planet-killing moment. Part of the answer lies in storytelling, inner rhetoric, and examining the identities we cling to and reject. FREE and OPEN to all. Contact: Michelle Prose mprose@uccs.edu