Listen "Persuarding the World | with Bé Breij"
Episode Synopsis
How do you persuade an audience? What is ethos, and why is it so important? And what connects ancient philosophers like Aristotle with modern politicians like Donald Trump?Rhetoric is the answer — at least to many of the questions that arise when taking a closer look at the workings of public discourse. Invented in antiquity, rhetoric still shapes our present and future, and is therefore placed in the spotlight in this episode of In a Nutshell. Together with her guest Bé Breij, Jara explores the power of rhetoric, its somewhat negative reputation, and how one can analyze the art of persuasion. Bé is a professor of Latin language and literature, a specialist in ancient rhetoric, and the founder of Peitho, the Radboud knowledge center for rhetoric and persuasion.Do you want to delve deeper into the world of rhetoric? Follow Bé's tip and read "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith, "Thank You for Arguing" by Jay Heinrichs, and/or "You Are Not Human: How Words Kill" by Simon Lancaster. And be sure to check out Peitho's website at https://www.ru.nl/en/departments/faculty-of-arts/peitho. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise
More episodes of the podcast In a Nutshell
Rethinking Economy | with Querine Kommandeur
13/01/2026
Humans, Cats and Robots | with Lynn de Rijk
05/08/2025
Black Holes | with Heino Falcke
03/06/2025
AI Special pt.2 | with Pim Haselager
21/05/2025
AI Special pt. 1 | with Pim Haselager
15/04/2025
Math Anxiety | with Sanne van der Ven
18/03/2025
The Digital Dilemma | with Noortje Hoevens
04/03/2025
The Ruins of 9/11 | with László Munteán
18/02/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.