Welcome to ASHR

The American Society for the History of Rhetoric (ASHR) offers rhetoricians multiple points of entry and enthusiasm. It is fitting that the word “society” should lead this welcome, since rhetoricians understand better than most the importance of gathering with others for a common purpose; moreover, being a rhetorician today (as in plenty of other days) can be a dispiriting business, and sociality helps. The common purpose this particular society sustains is the study of rhetoric as a historically situated cultural practice. Accordingly, ASHR’s programming—from panels organized for its annual NCA unit, to papers given at its biennial symposia, to articles published in its journal—promotes discussion about strains and domains of rhetoric in all historical periods, cultural contexts, and theoretical guises.

Upcoming Events

2026 ASHR Symposium at RSA

Our 2026 Symposium, will take place May 21-22, 2026, just prior to the Rhetoric Society of America (RSA) Biennial Conference in Portland, Oregon.

You can view the 2026 ASHR Symposium Program and paper abstracts here.

In addition to four panels of competitively accepted papers, the 2026 ASHR Symposium will also host a set of research roundtable discussions on Thursday afternoon (May 21) and feature a spotlight roundtable panel discussion on “Rhetorical History’s Past, Present, and Future” on Friday morning (May 22). All symposium attendees are also invited to attend an evening reception on Thursday, May 21 to celebrate the fifty-year partnership between ASHR and ISHR.

We welcome all scholars interested in rhetorical history / history of rhetoric to join us over these two days to engage and reflect on the theories, methods, critical orientations, and research questions that ground studies of rhetorical history, broadly defined. The 2026 ASHR symposium is free to attend, but registration is required.

To register for the 2026 ASHR Symposium, including the ASHR Research Roundtables and the ASHR reception on May 21, please click here. To assist our planning purposes, we ask that you indicate your attendance no later than May 1.

First Friday Forums Spring 2026

Friday April 3rd—The Digitization of Rhetorical History: Archives, Methods, and Publics
 
How does digital technology transform the ways rhetorical history is researched, interpreted, and shared? From digitized archives to platforms that shape public memory and rhetorical circulation, digital tools are reshaping the evidence, scale, and audience in rhetorical inquiry. This First Friday Forum explores how scholars of rhetoric are engaging digital humanities approaches to reimagine historical research. Together we will ask, what new questions become possible when rhetoric is studied through data, networks, and digital archives? How do digital infrastructures mediate whose voices are preserved, amplified, or obscured? And how might rhetorical history help us critically assess the cultural and political stakes of digital knowledge production? Bringing together perspectives from those interested in both rhetorical history and digital humanities, this conversation invites participants to consider not only new methods, but also the theoretical and ethical implications of doing rhetorical history in a digital world.
https://stthomas.zoom.us/meeting/register/7C01dtmkS8KXcYQWgjFvGg

About the ASHR First Friday Forum Series: Inspired by the classical conception of the forum as an intellectual gathering place, ASHR’s “First Friday Forum” series promotes educational programming, professional development, and an inclusive, collaborative virtual community. It is our hope that this virtual space will foster dynamic, cross-disciplinary scholarly engagement for those interested in reexamining and reimagining the various histories of rhetoric across all periods, languages, cultures, and modes of performance. The Spring 2026 “First Friday Forum” series will focus on key questions related to the research and teaching of the history of rhetoric / rhetorical history. These virtual gatherings will take place on February 6, March 6, April 3, and May 1, 2026 from 12:00-1:00pm Central Time via Zoom.
Please direct any questions to ASHR Special Programs Coordinator Dr. Kristen Einertson (eine4053@stthomas.edu).