Tag: conference

  • Cooking and Debating: Debating and the Need for a New Metaphor

    The history of American intercollegiate debate practice is mostly the tracking of metaphors. Debate instructors and debate practice has always been connected to some metaphor that communicates the value and importance of debate as an educational practice. Since the mid 20th century, that metaphor has only been “fair competition” and further reduced to “fair tournament…

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  • Why the National Communication Association Should Host Public Debates at the Annual Conventions

    I have been attening the NCA Convention nearly every year since 2003. At first I was enamored and loved it. Now, almost 10 years later, I’m a bit more cynical about it. Going into a nearly empty room to hear someone read a paper composed for the eye in a soft voice is not necessarily…

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  • Eastern Communication Association Conference in Boston

    Minecraft Castle (Photo credit: Mike_Cooke) Rhode Island is my staging area for my first trip to the Eastern Communication Association conference. I’m giving a paper tomorrow on Minecraft and the ancient practice of Declamation at around 18:30 GMT in Cambridge, close to Harvard University, but not really hosted there or in any association with them…

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  • The NCA Alta Argumentation Conference, day 1

    So far, so great! This is my first time attending the NCA Alta Argumentation conference, and it’s living up to what people have told me about it. This conference is really good so far. Wish you were here. If you aren’t, don’t fret – I’m trying to tweet some bits of interesting information I get from each…

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  • Academic Service-Learning Workshop, Part 1

    Attending a 2 day Academic Service-Learning (ASL) workshop. I’m not a big fan of ASL. I find the way it is discussed to be incredibly uncomfortable. I find the attitudes of the people who are passionate about it to be just shy of straight-up colonial paternalism. And the final thing that turns me off: History…

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  • JDA Final Day

    Yesterday was great – saw a very interesting lecture from David Hingstman on the history of forensics in the law in which he called the current confusion around forensic education (debate and speech) and forensic science a good thing, and something worth preserving a bit of uncertainty about.  Especially within the context of a lay-jury…

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  • The Conference Begins

    Today marks the first day of panels and presentations at the JDA Conference here in Tama. Chuo University is hosting, and the hospitality has been superb.  Last night kicked off with a talk from Takao Tanase on Rhetoric and Justice in Japan.  After that there was a very nice reception at the hotel including wines,…

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