The public speaking tradition is embedded in the founding and functioning of democratic societies. Public Speaking and Civic Engagement introduces undergraduate students to principles and practices of effective oral presentations. Speeches from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries frame each Chapter to show students how the rhetorical tradition in the United States informs contemporary social issues and activism.
The ten speeches included in the textbook represent important moments of civic engagement. Public Speaking and Civic Engagement begins with Patrick Henry's Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death, includes Sojourner Truth's Ain't I a Woman and Al Gore's TED Talk on climate change, and ends with Mary Fisher's Whisper of AIDS speech to the Republican National Convention. An introductory paragraph explains the social climate and political context for each speech. The format for the textbook fosters an environment for students to make connections between social and civic issues that impact their lives and their actions.