Cultivating contexts for deliberative argumentation

Abstract

What strategies do social actors use to cultivate contexts for deliberative argumentation, and why do they expect them to work? Addressing this question advances understanding of actual deliberative argumentation and methods of analyzing and evaluating it. I analyze two keynote addresses designed to regulate discussions in conference panels that followed, and specifically discussions of how women ought to respond to racism. I find that the keynote speakers use strategies that bring to bear responsibilities inherent to the discussion form of consciousness-raising, including facing facts; listening, talking, and self-scrutinizing even when doing so is difficult or uncomfortable; and acting for change. The strategies make discussion responsibilities determinate, display the badness of moves that damage discussion, and show the speakers are exercising forbearance rather than withdrawing from discussion. These findings illustrate the need to consider how social actors communicatively cultivate local contexts for deliberative argumentation.