Page 202 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 202
Particularities of Conceptions of Rhetoric
and Argumentation in Slovenia
A widely known and well-researched fact in contemporary rhetoric and ar-
gumentation theories, as well as other theoretical disciplines associated with
the field of (public) discourse in any way, is that the tradition of rhetoric (and
thereby argumentation)4 as the art of successful public persuasion and con-
struction of arguments is centuries-old. It dates back to Ancient Greece and
Rome and has dominated the entire European (and Western) culture until the
present-day. In spite of its highly turbulent development, with no shortage
of dramatic rises and falls throughout the 2,500 years of its history, rhetoric
and argumentation are today still fundamental tools of public activity (Booth,
2005). In recent years especially, research in the field of rhetoric and argumen-
tation theories and practice has revealed that interest in both of these disci-
plines in Europe has again been improved.5 Although the starting points of
rhetoric and argumentation as constituent elements of active participation in
modern democratic societies date back to the 1980s (Habermas, 1998), in re-
202 cent years rhetoric and argumentation have been noticeably present in con-
ceptualisations of (active) citizenship, European democratic systems and poli-
cies, interculturality etc. (Kock and Villadsen, 2012; Zaleska, 2012). In relation to
this, the role and significance that both disciplines are supposed to gain with-
in the context of European educational systems are defined more commonly
and clearly, either in terms of developing (new) independent topics within in-
dividual forms of education, or raising awareness of the significance of master-
ing rhetoric and argumentation as part of a successful educational process.6
In Slovenia, the situation is considerably different: rhetoric and argumen-
tation remain on the fringes of educational policies, models and contents,
mainly as the result of a lack of understanding and (consequent) absence in
curricula and educational practice. As part of endeavours to finally bring about
the necessary changes, both at the level of understanding and in the sense
4 More about the relationship between rhetoric and argumentation, as well as their delineation and
(or) differentiation, will be written in the paper at a later time.
5 In the last decade, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of studies, research, scien-
tific meetings and professional societies involved in studying the theoretical fields of rhetoric and
argumentation. Simultaneously, rhetoric and argumentation (as part of communication and social
competencies) are becoming an important part of European policies and strategies in the field of
lifelong learning. However, it needs to be pointed out that this kind of activity is mostly associated
with the tradition of Western European and North American countries, whereas a common symp-
tom is reflected in the former communist countries: in the period of their existence, communist re-
gimes eliminated rhetoric and argumentation from education as ‘dangerous disciplines’ and their
revival did not take place until these regimes were abolished in the 1990’s.
6 It is worth remembering that contemporary recognition of rhetoric (and argumentation) as a so-
cially significant educational topic is actually a sort of ‘revival’ of the ancient model of education,
where rhetoric studies (both at theoretical and practical levels) represented the main part of the en-
tire education hierarchy (from the very start to university education).
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
and Argumentation in Slovenia
A widely known and well-researched fact in contemporary rhetoric and ar-
gumentation theories, as well as other theoretical disciplines associated with
the field of (public) discourse in any way, is that the tradition of rhetoric (and
thereby argumentation)4 as the art of successful public persuasion and con-
struction of arguments is centuries-old. It dates back to Ancient Greece and
Rome and has dominated the entire European (and Western) culture until the
present-day. In spite of its highly turbulent development, with no shortage
of dramatic rises and falls throughout the 2,500 years of its history, rhetoric
and argumentation are today still fundamental tools of public activity (Booth,
2005). In recent years especially, research in the field of rhetoric and argumen-
tation theories and practice has revealed that interest in both of these disci-
plines in Europe has again been improved.5 Although the starting points of
rhetoric and argumentation as constituent elements of active participation in
modern democratic societies date back to the 1980s (Habermas, 1998), in re-
202 cent years rhetoric and argumentation have been noticeably present in con-
ceptualisations of (active) citizenship, European democratic systems and poli-
cies, interculturality etc. (Kock and Villadsen, 2012; Zaleska, 2012). In relation to
this, the role and significance that both disciplines are supposed to gain with-
in the context of European educational systems are defined more commonly
and clearly, either in terms of developing (new) independent topics within in-
dividual forms of education, or raising awareness of the significance of master-
ing rhetoric and argumentation as part of a successful educational process.6
In Slovenia, the situation is considerably different: rhetoric and argumen-
tation remain on the fringes of educational policies, models and contents,
mainly as the result of a lack of understanding and (consequent) absence in
curricula and educational practice. As part of endeavours to finally bring about
the necessary changes, both at the level of understanding and in the sense
4 More about the relationship between rhetoric and argumentation, as well as their delineation and
(or) differentiation, will be written in the paper at a later time.
5 In the last decade, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of studies, research, scien-
tific meetings and professional societies involved in studying the theoretical fields of rhetoric and
argumentation. Simultaneously, rhetoric and argumentation (as part of communication and social
competencies) are becoming an important part of European policies and strategies in the field of
lifelong learning. However, it needs to be pointed out that this kind of activity is mostly associated
with the tradition of Western European and North American countries, whereas a common symp-
tom is reflected in the former communist countries: in the period of their existence, communist re-
gimes eliminated rhetoric and argumentation from education as ‘dangerous disciplines’ and their
revival did not take place until these regimes were abolished in the 1990’s.
6 It is worth remembering that contemporary recognition of rhetoric (and argumentation) as a so-
cially significant educational topic is actually a sort of ‘revival’ of the ancient model of education,
where rhetoric studies (both at theoretical and practical levels) represented the main part of the en-
tire education hierarchy (from the very start to university education).
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
