Constructing the Conspiring Community: Using Practices of Invitational Rhetoric to Create Sustainable Solutions to Community-Identified Needs

The purpose of this study is to identify practices of invitational rhetoric that create sustainable solutions to community-identified needs. Working with East Central Ministries, a Christian community development organization in Albuquerque's international district, I used a co-conspiring method of research; meaning I worked alongside community members to jointly create projects, discuss theory, and create shared understanding of themes which emerged in my analysis. My analysis showed that the community surrounding East Central Ministries is characterized by bordered elements; by choosing to encircle the border space, co-conspirators create opportunities for practicing invitational rhetoric. Initial practices used by co-conspirators at ECM to cultivate the soil of possibilities include the creation of an invitational environment, intention setting, leaving space for what emerges, focusing on feelings, approaching faith in new ways, and being community minded. From the soil cultivated in these initial practices, emergent practices--making space for agency; focusing on what is wanted; sharing, giving, and trusting; and ultimately building a conspiring community--are able to bloom. In order to further illustrate the significance of these practices, I offer a model for the three Cs of invitational transformation through transcendence: (1) community; (2) consciousness; and (3) conspiratorial acts.

Name thesis:degree_name

Communication

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Communication and Journalism

Year

2014

Author dc:creator

• Upton, Sarah

Contributors dc:contributor

• Foss, Karen
• Milstein, Tema
• Gandert, Miguel
• Rodriguez, Ilia
• Trinidad-Galvan, Ruth

• Invitational rhetoric
• East Central Ministries
• Conspire
• Community
• Sustainable

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cj_etds/54

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalrepository.unm.edu:cj_etds-1053