Foreword

No abstract available for this article.     

Foreword

Most traditional rhetorical theories reflect a patriarchal bias in the positive value they accord to changing and thus dominating others. In this essay, an alternative rhetoric—invitational rhetoric—is proposed, one grounded in the feminist principles of equality, immanent value, and self‐determination. Its purpose is to offer an invitation to understanding, and its communicative modes are the offering of perspectives and the creation of the external conditions of safety, value, and freedom.     

Foreword

With the development of new information and communication technologies, the right to communicate assumes new dimensions, since it is almost impossible to fully participate in the globalized world without access to modern information and communication technologies. South Africa held its first democratic elections in 1994 and has subsequently returned to the international arena. Its citizens should rightly expect to be able to participate in all that this return offers, not only politically, but also economically and socially. Telecommunications are vital to making such participation possible. In recognition of this fact, the newly elected government developed policies and enacted legislation to ensure that the telecommunications sector, and specifically the sole fixed line service provider Telkom, provides South African citizens affordable access to the telecommunications infrastructure whilst providing acceptable levels of service. However, rather than meeting its obligation to the government and the people of South Africa, Telkom has misused its monopoly. The social injustice that this situation creates is critically examined against the background of the right to communicate based on Rawls' principles of social justice and Sen's capability approach.     

Foreword

No abstract available for this article.