“The total woman:”; The rhetoric of completion

The success of Marabel Morgan's Total Woman indicate its rhetorical effectiveness despite its substantive flaws. This article argues that the book's strong appeal to readers stems from: (1) its promise of fulfillment if woman expiate the guilt they bear for marital discord by self sacrifice; (2) its reinforcement of readers perceptions of themselves and their husbands; and (3) its emphasis on the power of “Total Women”; and its encouragement of sexual fantasy and play. These strategies produce a persuasive message which plays on readers’ concerns for their marriages, offers an alternative to the self consciousness urged by feminists and permits women to fulfill comfortable stereotypes yet experience the power and sexual freedom promised by liberationists. For readers with troubled marriages Morgan provides an alluringly simple, emotionally attractive answer to complex questions. Her message is rhetorically effective even if intellectually weak and psychologically misleading.     

Autobiographies as rhetorical narratives: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Anna Howard Shaw as “new women”

Using the life stories of two leaders of the woman's suffrage movement, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Anna Howard Shaw, this essay explores the role of autobiographies in social movements. Theoretically, the essay argues that as sustained narratives, autobiographies offer two distinctive rhetorical resources for their authors: the potential to depict the emergence of belief s from experiences and the ability to enact the doctrine. Second, the essay argues that the characteristic features of autobiography enhance the persuasive force of this depiction and enactment. In essence, the essay suggests that autobiographies can complement and supplement formal public arguments for a movement in distinctive ways.     

Books on Research Methodology

Mary N. Barton and Marion V. Bell's compilation Reference Books: A Brief Guide (Baltimere: Enoch Pratt Free Library, $1.25)

Martha L. Hackman's The Practical Bibliographer (Prentice-Hall, $5.95 cloth, $2.95 paper)

Hubert M. Blalock An Introduction to Social Research (Prentice-Hall, $5.95 cloth, $2.95 paper)     

Constructing Gender Stereotypes Through Social Roles in Prime-Time Television

Using a sample of 124 prime-time television programs airing on the 6 broadcast networks during the 2005–06 season, this study examined the social roles enacted by female and male characters. The findings confirm that female characters continue to inhabit interpersonal roles involved with romance, family, and friends. In contrast, male characters are more likely to enact work-related roles. Moreover, programs employing one or more women writers or creators are more likely to feature both female and male characters in interpersonal roles whereas programs employing all-male writers and creators are more likely to feature both female and male characters in work roles.     

Transparency

ABSTRACT

Within organizations, employees often discuss the need for transparency but what exactly is transparency? Transparency is often linked with communication in an effort to create an organization that is more informed about decisions and processes creating a sense of employee engagement. But leaders are not able to operate in a completely open manner due to a variety of factors. What leadership activities can be conducted in a transparent manner and how is transparency balanced with confidentiality? Transparency is not just a leader responsibility but other managers and employees contribute to organizational transparency. This column will provide more insights into the complex issue of transparency within libraries.