Rhetorical Interpretation – The Logo

This course introduces Rhetoric majors to legal, political, and cultural discourses of the logo, defined as a word/image that is owned, used and misused through visual, textual and symbolic production, consumption, and appropriation. Readings and lectures examine the historical emergence of the logo as legalized property and commodity sign, and survey trademarks, brands, designs, signatures, characters, and other signifying devices through which capitalist culture communicates value, origin, responsibility, trust, ownership, taste, fashion, and status. We will also examine thefts, appropriation, dilution, and infringements of the logo in numerous cultural and political contexts, broadly encompassing literary, artistic, and performative traditions. Students will be asked to engage with various practices of interpretation, including classification, narrative, historicization, criticism, and performance.