Rhetoric in a precarious world. Moving forward with and from Kenneth Burke.

International Conference on Rhetoric and Kenneth Burke (1–3 July 2026, Ghent University, De Krook), organized by the Culture & Education Research Group in collaboration with the Kenneth Burke Society and led by Kris Rutten and Amanda Adam. The conference explores what it means to study rhetoric today in an era marked by polarization, social divisions, and digital echo chambers, where identification with others is often under pressure. At the same time, there is a growing desire to overcome these divisions and to create new forms of dialogue, meaning-making, and community, both online and offline. Drawing on the work of Kenneth Burke, the conference examines how rhetorical studies can help understand, critically engage with, and shape these contemporary challenges.