I put together and ran a one-day pre-conference seminar for AARST last November at NCA where we talked about rhetoric and the politicization of science. In the morning were scholarly presentations that included a rhetorical analysis of the presidential science advisor's construction of "science," a talk about how the National Nanotechnology Initiative's "stakeholder outreach" has largely taken the form of a disingenous pre-emptive counter-mobilization, and examinations of the rhetorical strategies used in the cases of the U.S.'s rejection of the Kyoto Accord, the debate over Terry Schiavo, and the incorporation of ideas from nonlinear dynamics into military doctrine. In the afternoon, Chris Mooney came and talked about "The Republican War on Science," his then-recently published and well-received book. Finally, six relatively well-known rhetoricians (Condit, Campbell, Fahnestock, Miller, Lyne, and Simons) discussed the disciplinary implications of the question of science politicization for rhetoric of science.

In sum: a good day of scholarship, with lots of interesting and thoughtful presentations. I felt pretty good about it. But then a colleague pointed out this comment on the pre-conference to me:

AARST in Boston - not optimal

Ulp.

The American Association for the Rhetoric of Science and Technology invites submission of panel proposals, extended abstracts, and completed papers to be presented at the National Communication Association, Nov. 16-19, 2006, in San Antonio TX.

Submissions should involve the rhetorical analysis and critique of (1) scientific and technological texts, practices and genres; (2) the production, deployment, invocation, and contestation of scientific ideas and technological visions in political, professional or disciplinary, and literary or social contexts; and (3) discourses of reason and rationality, including reflexive engagement with the rationality of rhetoric of science as a discipline.

American Association for the Rhetoric of Science and Technology
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Annual NCA Preconference Seminar, Nov. 16, 2005
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Rhetoric and the Politicization of Science
Boston Copley Place Marriott
(Vineyard-Yarmouth), 9:00-4:45

AARST invites communication scholars and rhetoricians interested in the politicization of science to attend its preconference seminar at the National Communication Association meeting this year. Sessions include scholarly presentations on the rhetorical constitution and contestation of science in political discourse as well as a talk by science journalist Chris Mooney and a panel discussion about rhetorical perspectives on the politicization of science by Campbell, Condit, Fahnestock, Lyne, Miller, and Simons.