ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines an approach to the introductory public speaking course that recaptures the ethical and civic spirit of the classical rhetorical tradition while taking into account the demographic and technological changes of the twenty-first century. With indicators of America's civic health in decline, such an approach to public speaking is needed now more than ever. The guiding questions of the chapter include: What would it mean to approach public speaking as a form of democratic education? How would focusing on civic life change how and what we teach in the public speaking classroom? Finally, what difference would it make—for students, for teachers, and for society—if we took such an approach to public speaking? In pursuing these questions, I will explore both the promise and the challenges of teaching public speaking as civic education, especially in today's climate of hyper-partisanship and political polarization.
