Writing & Rhetoric 1: The Rhetoric of Plants

PWR 1 courses focus on developing writing and revision strategies for rhetorical analysis and research-based arguments that draw on multiple sources. In this class we will refocus our attention on plants, using them as a lens to explore, research, and write about different aspects of our world. For example, we will study how new scientific ideas are communicated and accepted by studying the work of maize geneticist and Nobel laureate Barbara McClintock. We will explore Lysenkoism, the politicization of agricultural science in the Soviet Union, drawing parallels to modern day climate change science, and we will dive into the research on urban tree coverage to see how plants can be a marker for social inequality For course videos and full descriptions, see https://vcapwr-catalog.stanford.edu. Enrollment is handled by the PWR office..