Educational policy is often dismissed as simply rhetoric and a collection of half truths. However, this is to underestimate the power of rhetoric and the ways in which rhetorical strategies are integral to persuasive acts. Through a series of illustrative chapters, this book argues that rather than something to be dismissed, rhetorical analysis offers a rich and deep arena in which to explore and examine educational issues and practices. It adopts an original stance in relation to contemporary debates and will make a significant contribution to educational debates in elucidating and illustrating the pervasiveness of persuasive strategies in educational practices.
Rhetoric and Educational Discourse is a useful resource for postgraduate and research students in education and applied linguistics. The book will also be of interest to academics and researchers in these fields of study and those interested in discursive approaches to research and scholarship.

Educational policy is often dismissed as simply rhetoric and a collection of half truths. However, this is to underestimate the power of rhetoric and the ways in which rhetorical strategies are integral to persuasive acts. Through a series of illustrative chapters, this book argues that rather than something to be dismissed, rhetorical analysis offers a rich and deep arena in which to explore and examine educational issues and practices. It adopts an original stance in relation to contemporary debates and will make a significant contribution to educational debates in elucidating and illustrating the pervasiveness of persuasive strategies in educational practices.
Rhetoric and Educational Discourse is a useful resource for postgraduate and research students in education and applied linguistics. The book will also be of interest to academics and researchers in these fields of study and those interested in discursive approaches to research and scholarship.

Contents:
1. Education as a site for self-work 2. Theorising identity 3. Understanding identity as narrative 4. Pedagogies for personal change in self-help literature: Helping oneself 5. Writing portfolios in work-based learning programs: Textually producing oneself 6. Pedagogy as a tool for corporate culture: Working for oneself 7. Games as a pedagogy in HIV/AIDS education: Protecting oneself 8. Social movements and programs of gender change: Interrupting oneself 9. Educational programs for sex offenders: Correcting oneself 10. Pedagogy, identity, reflexivity

How is adult learning used to produce personal, organisational and social change?
This interesting examination of adult learning for change illustrates through diverse case studies and theoretical perspectives that personal change is inextricably linked to broader organisational and social change. The authors explore how theorising education as a vehicle for self-change is relevant to the practices of educators, learning specialists and others concerned with promoting learning for change.
The book examines the relationship between pedagogy, identity and change and illustrates this through a range of case studies focusing on the following:
* Self-help books
* Work-based learning,
* Corporate culture training
* AIDS education
* Gender education
* Sex offender education
A concluding chapter discusses how writing an academic text is itself a pedagogical practice contributing to the identities of authors. This unique text will be of interest to students of education, sociology, cultural studies and change management as well as teachers, educators and professionals involved in lifelong learning or change management in any way.