the Study of Literacy in the Public Realm
Documenting and Theorizing Local Public Discourse
Features of Situated-Public Literacies
Situating the Study of Participatory Democracy
Ideas about Actually Existing Democracy
Rhetorical Interventions to Support Democratic Engagement
4 An Impromptu Theater: A Local Public That Turns Its Back on Formal Institutions
Distinctive Features: Dramatic and Spontaneous
The Impromptu Theater in Context: Location, Power, and the Integrity of Community Life
Tenor of the Discourse: Edgy and Competitive, Curbed by Play
Rhetorical Invention: Practice, Modeling, and Feedback
5 The Cultural Womb and the Garden: Local Publics That Depend on Institutions to Sponsor Them
A Cultural Womb: The Local Public in Brandt’s Literacy in American Lives
Distinctive Features: Nurtures and Prepares
The Cultural Womb in Context: Location and Cultural Agency
Tenor of the Discourse: Resourceful
Interpretative Literacies
Rhetorical Invention: Inspiration, Instruction, and Transformation
Implications
A Garden: The Local Public in Heller’s Until We Are Strong Together
Distinctive Features: Nurtures and Prepares
The Garden in Context: Location, Agency, and Maturation
Tenor of the Discourse: Literary Uplift
Belletristic Literacies
Rhetorical Invention: Precision at the Point of Utterance
Implications
6 The Link and Gate: Local Publics That Intersect with Public Institutions
A Link: The Local Public Sphere in Barton and Hamilton’s Local Literacies
Distinctive Features: Linking Networks Across Domains
The Link in Context: Location, Bottom-Up Initiative, and Agency
Tenor of the Discourse: Hybrid—a Mix of the Formal and the Everyday
Mobilizing Literacies
Rhetorical Invention: Adapting and Retooling
Implications
A Gate along a Fenceline: The Local Public in Cushman’s The Struggle and the Tools
Distinctive Features: Access, Space, and Conflict
The Gate in Context: Location and Linguistic Agency
Tenor of the Discourse: Dueling Dualities
Institutional Literacies
Rhetorical Invention: Evaluating Acquired Literacies
Transferred to New Contexts
Implications
A Community-Organizing Effort: The Local Public in Goldblatt’s “Alinsky’s Reveille: A Community-Organizing Model for Neighborhood-Based Literacy Projects”
Distinctive Features: Complexity and Pleasure
The Community-Organizing Effort in Context: Location and Legacy
Tenor of the Discourse: Bite Tempered by Sweetness
Consensus-Building Literacies
Rhetorical Invention: Transforming Problems into Issues for Action
Implications
The Community Think Tank: The Local Public Sphere in Flower’s “Intercultural Knowledge Building: The Literate Action of a Community Think Tank”
Distinctive Features: Diversity, Conflict, and Tools
The Community Think Tank in Context: Location and Legacy
Tenor of the Discourse: Prophetic—Principled and Inventive
Design and Inquiry-Driven Literacies
Rhetorical Invention: The Construction of Negotiated Meaning
Implications
8 The Shadow System: A Local Public that Defies Formal Institutions
Distinctive Features: Mimics and Shelters Difference
The Shadow System in Context:
