Sunday, January 27, 2008

Rhetorical Analysis - Striking a Blow for Democracy in Asia

WATCO:
Halting rule-of-law education funding in Cambodia on the overall democratic progression of the Cambodian government?

Halting the funding for rule-of-law education in Cambodia impedes the progression of a democratic government because halting the funding for rule-of-law education in Cambodia reduces the number of people who have benefited from such an education and who also support a democratic government.

Audience:

Mr. Jeffrey S. Brand tone, language and writing style suggest that he is trying to appeal to an educated, possibly influential audience who not only care about this subject matter, but also have the means of doing something about it. Mr. Brand is also a professor at the University Of San Francisco School Of Law, where they devote a large portion of time and curriculum to the very task of rule-of-law education in Cambodia, which might suggest he is targeting other students and universities to join him in their cause. The article also appeared in the Washington Post National Weekly edition, which tends to have a more affluent, educated readership.

Ethos/Pathos/Logos/STAR

By the fact that Mr. Brand is law professor a the University of San Francisco School of Law and the director of its Cambodian Law and Democracy Programs, he has already established a good deal of credibility. He obviously has extensive experience with this subject and has first-hand knowledge of its effectiveness on the Cambodian people. Credibility is also established by the simple fact that the article is appearing in the Washington Post National Weekly edition, which is a fairly credible source of information.

This entire subject matter is brimming with emotional sentiments. Mr. Brand is not only trying to stir up sympathy for the people of Cambodia who are suffering in their ignorance, but also trying to stir up memories of the past through his writings about Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge and the other atrocities. Mr. Brand seems to want to instill a sense of patriotism as well. By suggesting that the US might be the reason democracy fails in Cambodia, the author is trying to bolster our resolve to spread US ideals across the global, which will inevitably make it a “better place.”

His argument is logical – if we don’t do something, no one else will. He cites examples from the governing style of the new leader, Hun Sen, and the overlooked nature of the problem in Cambodia to illustrate that point. This argument is quite logical, especially to Americans, who are regularly confronted with this concept.

Effectiveness:

This article is well-written and is effective at gaining awareness for this issue. However, this article seems quite ineffective at creating a viable solution, or any solution for that matter. While he seems to desire a long-lasting, effective solution, he does nothing to promote one.

1 comment:

Jonathan12345 said...

Nice argument. I read about the rule of law in education a while ago.