Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas

Seminário de Especialidade em Estudos de Argumentação

Code

73201112

Academic unit

Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas

Department

Ciências da Comunicação

Credits

10

Teacher in charge

João Sàágua

Weekly hours

2

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

1. To understand and characterize the main contexts in which argumentative communication occurs;
2. To know and evaluate the major current theories of argumentation, their concepts and methods;
3. To be able to use 2 to analyse and evaluate the various particular argumentative strategies (and their arguments), relative both to their rational merits and to their persuasive effectiveness, considering also the contexts in which they occur;
4. To be able to produce innovative results (e.g., conceptual creativity, new methodological tools, etc.), particularly when applying theories of argumentation (2, above) to analyse and assess particular argumentative strategies (3 above).

Prerequisites

Subject matter

Argumentative communication is, par excellence, the human form of communication. In this communicative process what is traded are reasons to support points of view. The purpose of these transactions is to influence the actions of rational agents by influencing the web of their beliefs.
1.Current Argumentation Theories will be presented, and their historical roots will also be considered. So themes from Aristotle Topics, Rhetoric, will be covered, but special emphasis will be given to Pragma-Dialectic Theory (of the Amsterdam School) and Argumentation Schemes Theory of Anglo-American School;
2. Different argumentative contexts will be described: argumentation in the media, political communication, financial communication, communication in the area of public health,etc;
3. It will be presented (by students) applications of the theories mentioned in 1 to the contexts referred in 2, thus creating a space for critical analysis of theories and for methodological and conceptual innovation.

Bibliography

- Van Eemeren, F., Grootendorst, R., Jackon, S. & Jacobs, S. [1993] Reconstructing Argumentative Discourse. The University Press of Alabama
- Van Eemeren, F., Grootendorst, R., & Henkemans [2002] Argumentation: Analysis, Evaluation, Presentation. Routledge
- Van Eemeren, F. & Grootendorst, R. [2004] A Systematic Theory of Argumentation. Cambridge Univ. Press
- Walton, D. [2006] Fundamentals of Critical Argumentation. Cambridge Univ. Press
- Walton, Reed, C. & Macagno, F. [2008] Argumentation Schemes, Cambridge Univ. Press

Teaching method

The sessions corresponding to points 1 and 2 of the Syllabus are more expository, consisting in lectures given by the teacher and always having at the end a general discussion of the presented material.
The sessions corresponding to paragraph 3 of the syllabus will be of the students initiative and will consist in the presentation and discussion of ´papers´ to rehearse the application of theories and techniques presented to real argumentative contexts (media, political, financial, public health, etc.) chosen by the students.

Evaluation method

Each student will make an oral examination on points 1 and 2 of the program and will write a paper for point 3, the paper will be presented and discussed in the seminar.

Courses