From the Margins to the Center: Indian–Nepali Rhetoric as a Constitutive Necessity
Presentation Room
Blumberg Auditorium, Library Room 111
Presentation Type
Plenary Session
Start Date
24-4-2026 9:45 AM
End Date
24-4-2026 11:00 AM
Abstract
Rhetorical studies has historically been shaped by Greco-Roman traditions which often position non-Western rhetorical practices at the margins of scholarly discourse overlooking the intellectual and cultural richness of non-Western rhetorics. While recent scholarship has sought to reclaim these marginalized traditions, the persistent binary between “Western” and “non-Western” rhetorics continues to create a false sense of separation. This presentation moves beyond that bifurcation by placing Indian–Nepali rhetorical practices in direct conversation with Western rhetorical frameworks, highlighting both their distinctive features and the ways they expand the conceptual boundaries of the field. My central argument is that the uniqueness and differences of non-Western rhetorics from the Western rhetorics are not a rejection of something western but a constitutive necessity for a more comprehensive understanding of rhetoric itself. Drawing the insights from the comparative and cross-cultural approach of George A. Kennedy (1998), I make close readings of the non-western and western texts by considering the issues such as influence of religion, the role of the rhetor, the purpose of rhetoric, the use of logical syllogism, and the sources of knowledge. Ultimately, this study makes a double call; it aims to deepen the understanding of ontological boundaries of rhetorics by acknowledging the diversity of rhetorical practices across cultures and advocates for a more inclusive rhetorical framework.
From the Margins to the Center: Indian–Nepali Rhetoric as a Constitutive Necessity
Blumberg Auditorium, Library Room 111
Rhetorical studies has historically been shaped by Greco-Roman traditions which often position non-Western rhetorical practices at the margins of scholarly discourse overlooking the intellectual and cultural richness of non-Western rhetorics. While recent scholarship has sought to reclaim these marginalized traditions, the persistent binary between “Western” and “non-Western” rhetorics continues to create a false sense of separation. This presentation moves beyond that bifurcation by placing Indian–Nepali rhetorical practices in direct conversation with Western rhetorical frameworks, highlighting both their distinctive features and the ways they expand the conceptual boundaries of the field. My central argument is that the uniqueness and differences of non-Western rhetorics from the Western rhetorics are not a rejection of something western but a constitutive necessity for a more comprehensive understanding of rhetoric itself. Drawing the insights from the comparative and cross-cultural approach of George A. Kennedy (1998), I make close readings of the non-western and western texts by considering the issues such as influence of religion, the role of the rhetor, the purpose of rhetoric, the use of logical syllogism, and the sources of knowledge. Ultimately, this study makes a double call; it aims to deepen the understanding of ontological boundaries of rhetorics by acknowledging the diversity of rhetorical practices across cultures and advocates for a more inclusive rhetorical framework.