A Theory of Contemporary Rhetoric describes, explains, and argues the overarching theory of contemporary (in contrast to classical) rhetoric. This current perspective on rhetoric brings together themes in the communication arts, including political literary criticism, bi- and multi-lingualism, multimodality, framing as an artistic and sociological device for composition and interpretation, literacy in the digital age, and the division between fiction and `non-fiction¿ in language/literature studies. Chapters explore the implications of rhetoric for particular aspects of the field. Discussions throughout the book provide illustrations that ground the material in practice.