May 6, 2025
Persuading the world with Bé Breij | In a Nutshell
How do you persuade an audience? What is ethos, and why is it so important? And what connects ancient philosophers like Aristotle with modern politicians like Donald Trump? Rhetoric is the answer — at least to many of the questions that arise when taking a closer look at the workings of public discourse. Invented in antiquity, rhetoric still shapes our present and future, and is therefore placed in the spotlight in this episode of In a Nutshell. Together with her guest Bé Breij, Jara explores the power of rhetoric, its somewhat negative reputation, and how one can analyze the art of persuasion. Bé is a professor of Latin language and literature, a specialist in ancient rhetoric, and the founder of Peitho, the Radboud knowledge center for rhetoric and persuasion. Do you want to delve deeper into the world of rhetoric? Follow Bé's tip and read "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith, "Thank You for Arguing" by Jay Heinrichs, and/or "You Are Not Human: How Words Kill" by Simon Lancaster. And be sure to check out Peitho's website at https://www.ru.nl/en/departments/faculty-of-arts/peitho. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise