“echo brings together scholars with a shared interest in thinking about rhetoric as a media practice,” explains Professor Traninger. While “classical rhetoric” is often referred to as an immutable set of rules and figures of speech, the scholars at echo want to break with this notion. “We draw inspiration from the early modern period. During this era, between 1400 and 1750 C.E., rhetoric underwent a profound transformation influenced by the advent of print and the interactions between the scholastic and humanistic communities.” This period led to a fundamental renegotiation of the relationship between orality and writing, as well as between in-person communication and communication across distances.

In the present context, the digital sphere offers an opportunity to shed new light on historical configurations. The digital prompts us to take a fresh look at the codex, the calendar, personal communication devices, community, and free speech. More generally, the overarching interest of the researchers lies in examining the dynamics of persuasion within what is conceived of as “old” and “new” media at specific points in time – whether it is the interplay of orality and literacy, manuscript and print, text and film, or radio and television. Researching these intersections allows for valuable insights to be gained regarding the complex underpinnings of digital media, and to go beyond mere technological considerations.

The research center is named after the nymph Echo who, according to Greek mythology, was cursed to repeat the words of others. Perceptions surrounding the nymph have changed over time. “In the early modern period, Echo was thought of not as a mere source of reverberation, a secondary instrument, or the producer of a mutilated copy – she was an unruly oracle that was believed to speak the truth,” says Traninger. Far from being confined to replication, Echo emerged as a figure of resistance and, paradoxically, a representation of free speech.

echo unites projects of varied scope and duration, including book projects, editions, and doctoral and post-doctoral projects, all of which will incorporate workshops and presentations.