Argument as Issue Campaign

As a scholar of argumentation and rhetoric who focuses on issue campaigns it seems appropriate to think about the metaphor Argument as Issue Campaign. As mentioned in a previous post metaphors allow new conceptual constructions and understandings. Thus,  argument as its own construct becomes something new and different within the metaphor Argument as Issue Campaign.

Arguments are typically understood, within Toulmin's framework, as ways "of presenting conclusions that have been discovered prior to the argument" (Kastely, 1999, p. 227). Unfortunately, this typical practice of argument doesn't always acknowledge contradictions and can lock oneself into a system of explanation that is impervious to criticism (Kastely, 1999). But, this is not the only understanding of argument, there are many. One other way to understand argument is through deliberative and/or dialectical argument. Both are centered around a more collaborative understanding of argument that is interested in the other members of argument and debate as well as their ideas and contribution to the topic at hand. It is not based in a win/lose binary, but more associated with both/and thinking that requires vulnerability to the idea of being influenced and shifting of thoughts, as well as finding commonalities that can lead to cooperative solutions and/or paths (Kastely, 1999).

Issue campaigns, are campaigns that deal with issues, such as: policy issues and ballot initiatives. These campaigns are typically performed at many different sites, for example: in policy rhetoric, in political ads, speech rally's, protest rally's, on the bodies of those engaged in the campaign(s), in press releases, on websites, in canvassing efforts, in PR, etc etc.

 After a quick review of what is argument and what is issue campaign we can begin the exploration of the metaphor Argument as Issue Campaign. To think of Argument as Issue Campaign invites us to expand our conception of each individual construct and think of them as a combination, in relationship, as a new idea and understanding, as a new mode of perception (Blumenberg, 1960), and as a mode of thought (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980).  

This metaphor invites us to think argument as not only a verbal speech act, but also as something nonverbal, and even visual, marked on bodies, disseminated to masses, interpersonal canvassing, fundraising, as lies, misinformation, fact based claims, value based claims, policy based claims, organizing, viral, technology, statist, punditry, satire, and parody....just to name a few.

Although this is a preliminary inquiry into  Argument as Issue Campaign I hope that it will spawn some ideas about how to think of argument as a metaphor, how to think of this particular metaphor, and how to think of argument differently. I invite you to marinate on this with me for awhile, so that when I return we can add more to this. Additionally, I want to think of this metaphor through a rhetorical case study of the Wisconsin Union Issue Campaigns (for and against WI unions rights to collective bargaining). Thoughts?
 
Blumenberg, H. (1960). Paradigmen zu einer meaphorologie. 

Kastely, J. L. (1999). From formalism to inquiry: A model of argument in Antigone. College English, 62(2).
Lakoff, G. & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors We Live By.