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Articles by Robert Danisch
What makes democracy possible? The ontological conditions for democratic rhetoric
Advanced search Communication and Democracy Latest Articles Submit an article Journal homepage Full Article Figures & data References Citations Metrics Reprints & Permissions Read this article /doi/full/10.1080/27671127.2026.2701839?needAccess=true ABSTRACT If democracy is a way of life, as many American political theorists have argued, then it requires a set of rhetorical structures that foster constructive modes of association.
Why the politics of cancellation never works
Cancellation, elimination, subtraction, removal, invalidation — these synonyms describe a core, pervasive principle in our current political moment. A common fantasy from those on all positions of the ideological spectrum is the belief that if one group, or several groups, of people were simply removed from public discourse, problems would be solved and politics would become functional.
Opinion: Cancellation politics won’t work
Cancellation, elimination, subtraction, removal, invalidation — these synonyms describe a core, pervasive principle in our current political moment. A common fantasy from those on all positions of the ideological spectrum is the belief that if one group, or several groups, of people were simply removed from public discourse, problems would be solved and politics would become functional.
Why the politics of cancellation never works
Cancellation, elimination, subtraction, removal, invalidation—these synonyms describe a core, pervasive principle in our current political moment. A common fantasy of those on all sides of the ideological spectrum is the belief that if one group, or several groups, of people were simply removed from public discourse, problems would be solved and politics would become functional.
Why the politics of cancellation never works
© 2025 Tolerance.ca ® Inc. All reproduction rights reserved. All information reproduced on the Web pages of www.tolerance.ca (including articles, images, photographs, and logos) is protected by intellectual property rights owned by Tolerance.ca ® Inc. or, in certain cases, by its author. Any reproduction of the information for use other than personal use is prohibited.
Why the politics of cancellation never works
Cancellation, elimination, subtraction, removal, invalidation — these synonyms describe a core, pervasive principle in our current political moment. A common fantasy from those on all positions of the ideological spectrum is the belief that if one group, or several groups, of people were simply removed from public discourse, problems would be solved and politics would become functional.
How to win an election? Focus on persuasion, not policy
Ontario residents will soon elect a new government, and Canadians should expect a federal election this spring. Elections matter. They are opportunities for democracies to enact the bedrock principle that leaders are accountable to the citizenry — and for citizens to examine how communication practices inhibit or enhance democratic life. For politicians, elections pose a specific, clear communication challenge: How does a politician persuade a voter?
How to win an election? Focus on persuasion, not policy
© 2025 Tolerance.ca ® Inc. All reproduction rights reserved. All information reproduced on the Web pages of www.tolerance.ca (including articles, images, photographs, and logos) is protected by intellectual property rights owned by Tolerance.ca ® Inc. or, in certain cases, by its author. Any reproduction of the information for use other than personal use is prohibited.
The media must stop enabling Trump’s attention-seeking use of fascist rhetoric
This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. ___ Author: Robert Danisch, Professor, Department of Communication Arts, University of Waterloo Donald Trump is campaigning for the presidency of the United States the same way that Adolf Hitler in Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy campaigned almost 100 years ago.
The media must stop enabling Trump's attention-seeking use of fascist rhetoric
By Robert Danisch, Professor, Department of Communication Arts, University of Waterloo Instead of giving Trump’s fascist rhetoric a wider audience, news organizations must simply point out he’s attempting to dehumanize his fellow citizens, create a path to violence and destroy democracy. Read complete article © The Conversation -
The media must stop enabling Trump's attention-seeking use of fascist rhetoric
Donald Trump is campaigning for the presidency of the United States the same way that Adolf Hitler in Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy campaigned almost 100 years ago.
Donald Trump Should Be Ashamed Of Himself
In the wake of Donald Trump’s indictment on his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the United States, it’s worth remembering that democracy, as a system of government and a way of life, is the exception historically. Peaceful transfers of power between different political parties, or even ruling families or authoritarian regimes, are also exceptional.
Donald Trump’s victim rhetoric will boost his popularity following latest indictments
By: Robert Danisch, Professor, Department of Communication Arts, University of Waterloo, The Conversation Print Email Read Later This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Read this article for free: Email Address: Password: I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Already have an account?
Donald Trump's victim rhetoric will boost his popularity following latest indictment
© 2023 Tolerance.ca ® Inc. All reproduction rights reserved. All information reproduced on the Web pages of www.tolerance.ca (including articles, images, photographs, and logos) is protected by intellectual property rights owned by Tolerance.ca ® Inc. or, in certain cases, by its author. Any reproduction of the information for use other than personal use is prohibited.
Donald Trump's victim rhetoric will boost his popularity following latest indictments Original
In the wake of Donald Trump’s indictments on his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the United States, it’s worth remembering that democracy, as a system of government and a way of life, is the exception historically. Peaceful transfers of power between different political parties, or even ruling families or authoritarian regimes, are also exceptional.
The humanities should teach about how to make a better world, not just criticize the existing one - Academic Matters
This coming spring, a new group of students will think about choosing university majors when they apply to campuses across North America. In all likelihood, fewer of those students will choose humanities subjects — traditionally understood to include history, literature, philosophy, languages and the arts — as their major, than in past years. This is because of an ongoing “crisis” in the humanities, whereby the meaning, purpose, credibility and benefits of humanities majors are questioned.
The humanities should teach about how to make a better world, not just criticize the existing one
© 2023 Tolerance.ca ® Inc. All reproduction rights reserved. All information reproduced on the Web pages of www.tolerance.ca (including articles, images, photographs, and logos) is protected by intellectual property rights owned by Tolerance.ca ® Inc. or, in certain cases, by its author. Any reproduction of the information for use other than personal use is prohibited.
The humanities should teach about how to make a better world, not just criticize the existing one
By: Robert Danisch, Professor, Department of Communication Arts, University of Waterloo, The Conversation Tweet Print Email Save to Read Later This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Read this article for free: Email Address: Password: I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.
The humanities should teach about how to make a better world, not just criticize the existing one
This coming spring, a new group of students will think about choosing university majors when they apply to campuses across North America. In all likelihood, fewer of those students will choose humanities subjects — traditionally understood to include history, literature, philosophy, languages and the arts — as their major, than in past years. This is because of an ongoing “crisis” in the humanities, whereby the meaning, purpose, credibility and benefits of humanities majors are questioned.
The humanities should teach about how to make a better world, not just criticize the existing one
How Indigenous philosophies can improve the way Canadians treat animals Indigenous perspectives view the relationship between humans and animals much differently than modern western societies. Weaving Indigenous perspectives into how Canadians regard animals could greatly benefit the well-being of animals on several fronts, including agriculture, research, and those kept as pets.
Opinion | Musk takeover of Twitter mean a must for social media regulation
Now that Elon Musk owns Twitter, and seems intent on removing all forms of content moderation from the site, we need to think about the collective problems posed by unfettered speech on social media. These problems will pose a public health crisis and erode democracy in Canada. We need regulations that will help stop, or at least mitigate, some of the worst possible outcomes.
Why the Jan. 6 hearings should be making corporations nervous
This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. ___ Author: Robert Danisch, Professor, Department of Communication Arts, University of Waterloo The world is watching the Jan. 6 hearings in the United States in dismay and contemplating the possible end of the American democratic experiment.
Why Jan. 6 hearings will make companies nervous
Article Author: Canadian Press The Conversation This article was originally published in The Conversation, an independent, non-profit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. .. Disclosure information is available on the original site. - Author: Robert Danisch, Professor, Faculty of Communication Arts, University of Waterloo The world is watching a hearing on January 6th.
Why the Jan. 6 hearings should be making corporations nervous Original
The world is watching the Jan. 6 hearings in the United States in dismay and contemplating the possible end of the American democratic experiment. But we should also be thinking about the impact of democratic erosion on corporations and other economic institutions that were built in — and thrived during — the last century. The evidence unveiled at the hearings and by recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court suggests another civil war in the U.S. is a real possibility.
Why Doug Ford Will Once Again Win the Ontario Election
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Opinion: Why Doug Ford will once again win the Ontario election
By: Robert Danisch, University of Waterloo On June 2, Ontario residents head to the polls to elect a provincial government. The most likely outcome is that Doug Ford will be re-elected premier of the province and his Progressive Conservative party will win the most seats. Some people in the province will be frustrated or puzzled by such an outcome, especially in light of the hardships so many Ontarians have endured over the last few years during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why Doug Ford will once again win the Ontario election
On June 2, Ontario residents head to the polls to elect a provincial government. The most likely outcome is that Doug Ford will be re-elected premier of the province and his Progressive Conservative party will win the most seats. Some people in the province will be frustrated or puzzled by such an outcome, especially in light of the hardships so many Ontarians have endured over the last few years during the COVID-19 pandemic.
7 ways to spot polarizing language — how to choose responsibly what to amplify online or in-person
Words have consequences. They can make us feel love, anger, fear, hope.
7 ways to spot polarizing language — how to choose responsibly what to amplify online or in-person
Words have consequences. They can make us feel love, anger, fear, hope.
7 ways to spot polarizing language — how to choose responsibly what to amplify online or in-person
Words have consequences. They can make us feel love, anger, fear, hope.
7 ways to spot polarizing language - how to choose responsibly what to amplify online or in-person
Words have consequences. They can make us feel love, anger, fear, hope. Those emotions, depending on how strongly they’re felt, can incite actions. Communication scholars, ancient rhetoricians, legal scholars and psychologists have all studied some of the most basic pathways along which words do their work — how love is sustained in lasting relationships, how political leaders rally troops to war, how treaties are made or conflict de-escalated.
7 ways to spot polarizing language - how to choose responsibly what to amplify online or in-person
Opinion TheConversation.com Monday, March 7, 2022 Words have consequences. They can make us feel love, anger, fear, hope. Those emotions, depending on how strongly they’re felt, can incite actions. Communication scholars, ancient rhetoricians, legal scholars and psychologists have all studied some of the most basic pathways along which words do their work — how love is sustained in lasting relationships, how political leaders rally troops to war, how treaties are made or conflict de-escalated.
Opinion | 7 ways to spot polarizing language — how to choose responsibly what to amplify online or in-person
Opinion Mar 07, 2022 by Robert Danisch TheConversation.com The impacts of our words should be of greater concern in our political discourse. - Dreamstime photo Words have consequences. They can make us feel love, anger, fear, hope. Those emotions, depending on how strongly they’re felt, can incite actions.
7 ways to spot polarizing language - how to choose responsibly what to amplify online or in-person
Opinion TheConversation.com Monday, March 7, 2022 Words have consequences. They can make us feel love, anger, fear, hope. Those emotions, depending on how strongly they’re felt, can incite actions. Communication scholars, ancient rhetoricians, legal scholars and psychologists have all studied some of the most basic pathways along which words do their work — how love is sustained in lasting relationships, how political leaders rally troops to war, how treaties are made or conflict de-escalated.
7 ways to spot polarizing language
Words have consequences. They can make us feel love, anger, fear, hope. Those emotions, depending on how strongly they’re felt, can incite actions. Communication scholars, ancient rhetoricians, legal scholars and psychologists have all studied some of the most basic pathways along which words do their work — how love is sustained in lasting relationships, how political leaders rally troops to war, how treaties are made or conflict de-escalated.
7 ways to spot polarizing language - how to choose responsibly what to amplify online or in-person
Words have consequences. They can make us feel love, anger, fear, hope. Those emotions, depending on how strongly they’re felt, can incite actions. Communication scholars, ancient rhetoricians, legal scholars and psychologists have all studied some of the most basic pathways along which words do their work — how love is sustained in lasting relationships, how political leaders rally troops to war, how treaties are made or conflict de-escalated.
Should Canada Be Preparing For The End Of Democracy In America?
Rioters loyal to Donald Trump climb the West Wall of the the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) The United States is on the precipice of becoming a failed democratic state. In January 2021, pollster John Zogby conducted a survey that showed 46 per cent of Americans believe that the U.S. is headed toward another civil war. As Canada’s closest neighbour fractures at the seams and slides toward dangerous forms of authoritarianism, we should be deeply worried.
Canada should be preparing for the end of American democracy
The United States is on the precipice of becoming a failed democratic state. In January 2021, pollster John Zogby conducted a survey that showed 46 per cent of Americans believe that the U.S. is headed toward another civil war. As Canada’s closest neighbour fractures at the seams and slides toward dangerous forms of authoritarianism, we should be deeply worried. As someone whose research has tried to explain how and why democracy works, I am deeply worried.
Canada should be preparing for the end of American democracy
A Donald Trump supporter flies a Trump flat a trucker convoy protest against COVID-19 restrictions in Toronto. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette The United States is on the precipice of becoming a failed democratic state. In January 2021, pollster John Zogby conducted a survey that showed 46 per cent of Americans believe that the U.S. is headed toward another civil war.
The problem with online learning? It doesn't teach people to think
Instead of asking how universities might benefit from shifting courses online permanently, we ought to ask how students might suffer from fewer opportunities for lived experience and practice. (Shutterstock) The modern research university was designed to produce new knowledge and to pass that knowledge on to students. North American universities over the last 100 years have been exceptionally good at that task. But this is not all that universities can do or should do.
The problem with online learning? It doesn’t teach people to think
Instead of asking how universities might benefit from shifting courses online permanently, we ought to ask how students might suffer from fewer opportunities for lived experience and practice. (Shutterstock) The modern research university was designed to produce new knowledge and to pass that knowledge on to students. North American universities over the last 100 years have been exceptionally good at that task. But this is not all that universities can do or should do.
The problem with online learning? It doesn't teach people to think
The modern research university was designed to produce new knowledge and to pass that knowledge on to students. North American universities over the last 100 years have been exceptionally good at that task. But this is not all that universities can do or should do. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even easier to reduce teaching to knowledge dissemination and to obscure other, equally important, forms of education that help students be better citizens, thinkers, writers and collaborators.
The problem with online learning? It doesn't teach people to think
The modern research university was designed to produce new knowledge and to pass that knowledge on to students. North American universities over the last 100 years have been exceptionally good at that task. But this is not all that universities can do or should do. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even easier to reduce teaching to knowledge dissemination and to obscure other, equally important, forms of education that help students be better citizens, thinkers, writers and collaborators.
Opinion | What we can do to reduce the chances of U.S.-style mob violence in Canada
By Robert Danisch William Keith Wed., Jan. 13, 2021timer3 min. read Canadians should not view the recent mob violence in Washington as a uniquely American problem. The polarization that produced the hatred, violence and chaos unleashed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s followers on the U.S. Capitol is the product of specific forms of rhetoric — and they exist in Canada, too. What will keep them from boiling over into violence? Words create worlds, and so violent rhetoric begets violent action.
The U.S. Capitol violence could happen in Canada - here are 3 ways to prevent it
Canadians should not view the recent mob violence in Washington, D.C., as a uniquely American problem. The polarization that produced the hatred, violence and chaos unleashed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s followers on the U.S. Capitol is the product of specific forms of rhetoric — and they exist in Canada, too. What will keep them from boiling over into violence? We ought to worry when we see increasing political polarization, and we need to view Jan. 6, 2021, as a reminder that we’re not immune.
Why Donald Trump’s words work
File photo of Donald Trump | Flickr Text Size: As America chaotically careens toward election day with President Donald Trump fighting COVID-19 infection, we should stop and ask: Just why and how do Trump’s words work? And how does the recent confusion sown by his doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center amplify that work? Perhaps more importantly: What can we do about it? These questions strike at the core of a deep and persistent misunderstanding about communication.
Why Donald Trump's Words Work... And What To Do About It
With the American flag reflected in the teleprompter, President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Duluth International Airport on Sept. 30, 2020, in Duluth, Minn. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) As America chaotically careens toward election day with President Donald Trump fighting a COVID-19 infection, we should stop and ask: Just why and how do Trump’s words work? And how does the recent confusion sown by his doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center amplify that work?
COMMENTARY: Why and how do Donald Trump’s words work?
As America chaotically careens toward election day with President Donald Trump fighting a COVID-19 infection, we should stop and ask: just why and how do Trump’s words work? And how does the recent confusion sown by his doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center amplify that work? Perhaps more importantly: what can we do about it? These questions strike at the core of a deep and persistent misunderstanding about communication.
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