Cameron Mozafari Presents Paper with Michael Israel at the 12th Conceptual Structure, Discourse, and Language Conference

On November 6, Cameron presented a paper called "More than a Feeling: Emotion in Cognitive Rhetoric," co-written with Professor Michael Israel, at the 12th Conceptual Structure, Discourse, and Language Conference, in Santa Barbara, California.

On November 6, Cameron presented a paper called "More than a Feeling: Emotion in Cognitive Rhetoric," co-written with Professor Michael Israel, at the 12th Conceptual Structure, Discourse, and Language Conference, in Santa Barbara, California. The paper, which is theoretically anchored in the idea of emotional enthymeme from Aristotelian rhetorical theory and the idea of frame metonymy from frame semantics and conceptual integration theory, called for more attention to the ways emotional appeals work in persuasive discourse. Cameron and Michael looked at animal rights activist fundraising mail and bumper stickers to show that strong emotions tend to arise where salient metonymic cues within a text prompt inferences that complete emotion-laden frames. Through their analysis, they highlight of the close-knit relationship between inferential reasoning and emotion arousal.