Skip to main content

Research

Research

The members and affiliates of COR produce cutting-edge research in the art of persuasion from Graeco-Roman antiquity until the twenty-first century. Our members’ current research encompasses studies on the resolution of internal and external conflicts, including amnesty and international relations.

A particular area of strength is the study of rhetorical techniques aiming at evoking emotional responses in the audience in political and forensic oratory. Among these techniques are the strategic selection of historical parallels and the projection of character and authority by the speaker.

A central preoccupation in ancient rhetoric debates is its potential for the deception and manipulation of the audience, as well as the way in which rhetorical analysis may inoculate audiences against this danger. The rhetorical deployment of evidence, as well as appeals to emotions and the cognitive functions that facilitate manipulation and deception, are another area explored by members of COR.

To read examples of COR research, read the open-access publications below or follow this link to the COR PURE portal.

Explore Royal Holloway