On the 10th Nordic Conference for Rhetorical Research we invite scholars to explore how rhetorical studies can be placed in the service of democracy.
Time and place: June 10, 2026 – June 12, 2026, University of Oslo
Call for papers
«Tending to the business of democracy means tending to its rhetorical practices», wrote the editors of Rhetorical Democracy, a collection of papers from the 2002 conference of the Rhetoric Society of America. Urging academic inquiry into the promises and pitfalls of democracy, they started from the idea that «democracy remains an unfinished project». Today, this relative optimism has gone into decline, as we are witnessing democratic backsliding across much of the globe. In this historical moment, the organizers of the 10th Nordic Conference for Rhetorical Research (NKRF10) encourage scholars to explore how rhetorical studies can be placed in the service of democracy.
Rhetorical studies have always had a stake in the conditions for political participation, and many scholars have suggested a particularly close link between rhetoric and democracy. This link might appear more than a little tenuous, however, for through much of history, the main function of rhetorical education was to supply authoritarian regimes with a compliant administrative workforce. The contemporary field of rhetoric, in contrast, appears firmly committed to the idea of democracy – as witnessed, for instance, in the program of «rhetorical citizenship».
The link between rhetoric and democracy is nevertheless complicated by developments in our time: As technological changes fundamentally redesign the architecture and infrastructure through which people communicate, interact and deliberate, how ought we to conceive of the link between rhetoric and democracy? When democracy as a political ideal is increasingly contested and challenged around the world, what role can we as rhetorical scholars play? And can rhetoric hope to save democracy from increasing economic inequality and concentration of power?
With the theme Rhetoric and Democracy Revisited, the organizers of NKRF10 invite participants to engage with our current historical moment and the ways in which rhetoric as a field understands democracy both as an idea and as an outcome of rhetorical praxis. Among the questions we pose are:
- What is the relationship between the teaching of rhetoric and the status of democracy?
- How do changes in the rhetorical architecture of democracy impact opportunities for participation?
- How is democracy practiced rhetorically in different places around the world, and what might they learn from each other?
- How can the history of rhetoric inform current discussions about democratic resilience and imagination?
- How have technological changes shifted the conditions for democratic participation and decision-making?
- What does «rhetorical democracy» stand for, and what does it oppose?
- What is the normative status of democracy within the field of rhetoric?
- How can rhetorical studies be placed in the service of democracy?
We invite scholars to submit contributions to the academic conversation about these and related questions, but will consider presentations on any topic relevant to contemporary studies in rhetoric.
Formats
Individual paper
30 minutes are allocated to each presentation, of which 10 are reserved for questions and discussion. A presentation should therefore not last more than 20 minutes. Submissions must include:
- Title
- Abstract (max. 300 words excluding references)
- 3-5 keywords
- Contact information: Name, place of employment, and email address
Panel session
90 minutes are allocated per panel, of which 30 are reserved for questions and discussion. Submissions must include:
- Title
- Abstract (approx. 200 words about the overall theme and max. 300 words excluding references per paper)
- 3-5 keywords
- Contact information: Names of the chair, presenters (max. 3) and possibly respondent, places of employment, and e-mail addresses for all participants in the panel
Round table
90 minutes are allocated per panel, of which 30 are reserved for questions and discussion. Submissions must include:
- Title
- Abstract (approx. 300 words about the overall theme and max. 100 words for the individual contributions)
- 3-5 keywords
- Contact information: Names of participants, places of employment, and email addresses for all participants in the panel
Other formats
We are open to proposals for any alternative format, including internet projects, films, artistic projects, creative or interactive sessions, etc. Submissions must include:
- Title
- An abstract that gives a full and specific description of the session
- 3-5 keywords
- Contact information: Name, place of employment, and e-mail addresses for organizer and/or all participants
Contact
To contact the organizers, get in touch with Kristian Bjørkdahl.
Venue
The conference will take place at University of Oslo’s campus at Blindern, mainly in the building Sophus Bugges hus.
Timeline
- Abstract submission opens: 16th October 2025
- Abstract submission closes: 18th December 2025
- Notification about acceptance: January 2026
- Registration opens: March 2026
- Registration closes: May 2026
- Conference dates: 10th – 12th June 2026
Key notes
Key note speeches will be given by the following distinguished scholars (about whom more information will be added shortly):
Philippe-Joseph Salazar, Distinguished Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Cape Town
Ekaterina Haskins, Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, Penn State
Christina Matthiesen, Professor of Rhetoric, Lund University
Registration
Registration will open in early March of 2026 and close by early May of 2026. Specific dates will follow.