S o m e H i s t o r y:
PRE/TEXT is a list formerly composed of two separate lists called "PTISSUES" and "REINVW." Both of these lists--started in January 1994--were a part of the "PRE/TEXT CONVERSATIONS," which were hosted by Miami U, Oxford, OH. In 1996 the two lists were combined and moved to and hosted by the U of VA as part of the Spoon Collective until April 1998, when PRE/TEXT established its own domain name, www.pre-text.com/, and the "PRE/TEXT" list moved to and became hosted by the U of TX, Arlington.
When at Miami U, PTISSUES was an open discussion on rhetorical theory and writing theory, both broadly defined. PTISSUES also attempted to examine political issues in and around the College Composition and Communications Conference.
REINVW (short for the neologism Re/Inter/View) was a combination of a review of articles/books and interviews with their authors.
Both lists have as their founding mis/conception the publication PRE/TEXT: A Journal of Rhetorical Theory (1980-). For additional information about this journal, see the book PRE/TEXT: The First Decade, Ed. Victor J. Vitanza. Pittsburgh: U of Pittsburgh P, 1993. Also see the journal's website: www.pre-text.com/pt/.
(A selection of people previously published in the journal are Kenneth Burke, Paul Ricoeur, Charles Stivale and Felix Guattari, James Berlin, Ellie Ragland, Barbara Herrnstein Smith, Eric Havelock, Sharon Crowley, Daffy Duck, Richard Ohmann, Eve Sedgwick, and many others.)
When associated with the Spoon Collective, the discussion list PRE/TEXT collapsed both PTISSUES and REINVW into one radical multiplicity of a list, though their archives remain separate.
Now hosted at the U of TX, Arlington, the PRE/TEXT list will continue to combine the two lists.
That residual side of PTISSUES will be the general list on all things rhetorical and will maintain a posture concerning the questions of Rhetoric and Writing as ever becoming open ones. In other words, don't ask for a definition of R!
PTISSUES, in all other ways, is similar to any list. The virtual floor is always open for any discussion, but especially those focused on the question of rhetorical theories, whether disciplinary, metadisciplinary, or postdisciplinary/nondisciplinary.
REINVWs will be scheduled intermittently by the moderator. Some previous REINVWs have been conducted with Greg Ulmer, Rosa Eberly, Richard Lanham, Geoff Sirc, John Schilb, Jane Gallop, etc. A REINVW can take as long as two months. Sometimes longer. Questions concerning the authors' works are sent to the list and the author simply responds and at length. The formats, however, vary. Often questioners discuss issues among themselves along with the author. The moderator is open to different formats, but that of a conversation is most desired. All REINVWs are announced well in advance. On most occasions, an electronic copy of a chapter from the book or an article have been and will continue to be made available to the subscribers. (Availability is finally determined by the publisher. We have been fortunate in getting permission to post segments of books and complete articles.) The participants are encouraged to read the entire work and any associated works.
REINVWs will continue to publish Tables of Contents of journals in or related to the broad area of Rhetorical Theory. The choices of journals are based on the taste and interest of the moderator. If, however, you would like to see a journal of yours posted here, the moderator will be happy to do so. The TOCs come from CARL. (Please send a private note to the moderator. See below.)
REINVWs will eventually begin publishing review articles as well. If you are interested in writing reviews, drop a note to the moderator.
If you are thoroughly confused now about the name of this list, just remember ...
And you will be home though perhaps not safe!
So in Sum:
We talk about rhetorical theory from, say, Heraclitus to contemporary thinkers (you make it what it is when you type!). Just follow the flow and you will get there from time to time, though no one else may be with you;
We do RE/INTER/VIEWS with what used to be called "authors" and "texts";
We attempt to inform you about what's been published and generally ignore that which we do not want to promote.
(Primarily people in English Departments have subscribed to both of these lists, but some also from Classics, Linguistics, Philosophy, and Communications. All areas are welcomed. At times the discussions have been boring and slow; at other times, like most lists, highly explosive. The worst of times and the best!)
General Information: How to Subscribe and to Post to the List:
PRE/TEXT maintains a website at www.pre-text.com/. (Links from the site connect with various other PRE/TEXT sites.) There are a considerable number of files on previous REINVWS and discussions in general are available. PRE/TEXT List.
The moderator and owner of the list is Victor J. Vitanza. He can be reached at SOPHIST@UTA.EDU. If you have any questions or concerns, drop him a note.
How to Subscribe:
After you have subscribed, you will receive an automatic confirmation from LISTSERV and you will receive an information sheet with further instructions to set various options. (Please keep these posts for later reference.)
To post to PRETEXT, send message to: PRETEXT@LISTSERV.UTA.EDU.
If you need any help, please contact the modErator.
PLEASE Understand these Conditions of the List: