Understanding the Rhetoric of Dialogue and the Dialogue of Rhetoric

Abstract

Rhetoric and dialogue are intertwined. To engage in dialogue is to seek to understand others and co-create meaning. To engage in rhetoric is to challenge and change everyday communication relationships in positive ways. Integrating both dialogue and rhetoric into individual and organizational communication creates opportunities for more ethical relationships at multiple levels of society. This theory based, critical essay positions dialogue within rhetoric to show how the two concepts, both often misused and misunderstood, provide a foundation for ethical communication and relationships. The chapter discusses the nature of dialogue and its role in building relationships and long-term commitment between organizations and publics. It also explores the possibilities of dialogue in organizational rhetoric and communication with special focus on relationship building. It offers the metaphor of homo dialogicus to guide future research and practice on this broad topic.

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