“Inoculate yourself with the word of God”: Persuasion, inoculation, medical inoculation and religious rhetoric

There is growing interest in inoculation theory as a rhetorical model of analysis.

Josh Compton

Copeland’s rhetoric provides a unique, informative case to consider issues of persuasion inoculation. Of course, one reason that the case seems particularly apt is that persuasion inoculation will be a lens through which to view medical inoculation.  But there are other factors that also strengthen the case’s value as the artifact of analysis. First, beliefs about vaccines have consequences. Dissuasion from getting a flu shot can lead to getting the flu, and during particularly dangerous flu seasons, getting the flu can be deadly. Second, such an analysis would join the growing interest in inoculation theory as a rhetorical model of analysis.

Compton, J. (2018, November). ‘Inoculate yourself with the word of God’: Persuasion, inoculation, medical inoculation and religious rhetoric. Religious Communication Association, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.