S3S | Clemson RCID

Publications - Check them out!

2012-01-22T04:08:00.002-05:00

Welcome to 2012! As we begin the new year/semester, we want to make note of some great articles and reviews from our current S3S members!

Check out these works published over the past semester:

Colton, Jared. Review of Inessential Solidarity: Rhetoric and Foreigner Relations, by Diane Davis. Rhetoric Review 31.1 (2012): 88-92.

Fancher, Patricia, Carl Whithaus, and Andrew Mara. Review of Marshall

McLuhan: You Know Nothing of My Work! by Douglas Coupland. Enculturation 12 (2011).

Lind, Stephen J. Review of American Puppet Modernism, by John Bell. Text and Performance Quarterly 31.4 (2011): 455-456.

And watch for these articles coming in 2012:

Byrum, Kristie. “How (and Why) to Create A Corporate Social Responsibility Platform.” A Guide to Best Practices in Corporate Social Responsiblity & Green PR. Vol. 4. by PR News. Access Intelligence, 2012.

Holmes, Steven. (Provisional title) “Would Socrates Approve this Message? From Social Realism to Rhetorical 'Allegorithms' as Gaming Activism in Markus Persson's Minecraft.” Games of Words. Ed. Zachary Waggoner. Macmillan, 2012.

Holmes, Steve. “Wither Ecocriticsm in the Era of Hyperobjects?” Review of Ecology Without Nature and The Ecological Thought, by Timothy Morton. Journal of Ecocriticism (2012).

Lind, Stephen J. “Un-defining Man: The Case for Symbolic Animal Communication.” Perspectives on Human-Animal Communication: Internatural Communication. Ed. Emily Plec. Routledge, 2012.

Lind, Stephen J. “Teaching Digital Oratory: Public Speaking 2.0.” Communication Teacher 26 (2012).

McFarlane, Nicole. “Digital Memory and Narrative through 'African American Rhetoric[s] 2.0'” Review of Keepin’ It Hushed: The Barbershop and African American Hush Harbor Rhetoric by Vorris Nunley and Digital Griots: African American Rhetoric in a Multimedia Age by Adam Banks. Enculturation (2012).

Well done, all!

Annual Holiday Party!

2011-12-10T12:38:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to the Collamati family for hosting another wonderful annual holiday party! 4th-year RCID candidate Anthony Collamati (pictured) and his wife Keri hosted the party at their home, complete with the annual secret-recipe meatballs, Chipmunk music from the record player, and the always-exciting gift swap. The gift swap this year featured several Gorgias Society mugs, a breadmaker, a highly-coveted ream of paper, and a lovely box of fresh beets. S3S extends a warm Thank You to all the RCID faculty, students, and friends for another great semester --- see you in 2012!

Clemson Awarded RSA Grant for CRC

2011-11-15T01:54:00.006-05:00

RSA Announces Graduate Student Special Event Award

[RePosted from RSA website]

RSA is proud to announce that Clemson University’s RSA Student Chapter is the sole recipient of the 2011-2012 RSA Graduate Student Special Event Award. They will receive $2450 in support of the Carolina Rhetoric Conference.

The award committee reviewed numerous proposals for interesting and important graduate student events around the country. However, Clemson’s proposal distinguished itself by demonstrating a wide-reaching opportunity for graduate students of rhetoric. The award committee was particularly impressed by Clemson’s effort to reach across many graduate programs, to create numerous venues for students’ scholarly and professional development, and to utilize digital technologies creatively.

In February 2012, Clemson's RSA chapter will host the Carolina Rhetoric Conference (CRC), an annual event that brings together graduate students from North and South Carolina. The CRC provides graduate students in the region with opportunities to share their research, build a network of rhetoric scholars in the Carolinas, and to receive feedback on conference presentations before presenting at major national conventions. The event is alternatively hosted by RSA chapters at NC State, the University of South Carolina, and Clemson. This year, Clemson plans to expand the conference by inviting graduate students from additional rhetoric programs. In addition, they plan to include various networking events, a digital showcase, keynote speakers, workshops, and live blogging during the event followed by a series of round-up blogs after the event.

Meeting Extraordinary Chileans

2011-10-31T01:44:00.001-04:00

Third-year RCID student Walter Iriarte has returned from a trip to D.C. where he visited a special exhibition at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History on theChilean Mine Rescue. Because the rescue attracted over a billion viewers (according to the current Chilean Minister of Public Works) and especially because two of the miners were known to have written poems while entrapped, Walter was drawn to the exhibit as an important piece in his current dissertation project. Artifacts from the ordeal were on display, poems and writings sent between the miners and their families being of particular interest to Walter. Also on display was the Fenix 2 backup capsule.

The highlight of Walter’s trip, though, was the Smithsonian Institute hosted workshop and presentation featuring Minister Laurence Golborne (organizer of the rescue mission) and Luis Urzua (the last miner to be extracted). Before the official presentations began, Walter had the honor of interviewing both Minister Golborne and Don (Mr.) Urzua. During the presentation, the speakers shared with the guests various stories not known to the public. Both Golborne and Urzua also took time to discuss what critical factors contributed to their survival. “The exchange between us was incredibly meaningful and abundant,” reported Walter. “The experience has already initiated another project which will be in works after the dissertation. I am very thankful for the opportunity and look forward to sharing some of the information during my oral defense."

October S3S Party

2011-10-23T22:18:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Dr. Dave Blakesley and his family for hosting a wonderful October S3S party this past Saturday. We had a great turnout and great food (not to mention use of the outstanding telescope, the fire-pit by the pool, and a chance to catch up with each other's family). Check out our Facebook page for more PHOTOS.

2012 Carolina Rhetoric Conference - Feb. 17-18

2011-10-11T16:16:00.001-04:00

Clemson's S3S/RCID program to host the 2012 Carolina Rhetoric Conference, February 17-18. Submissions (abstracts) are due Dec. 1st by email (clemsoncrc2012@gmail.com). There will be 3 session types: Individual Presentations ("traditional" panels), Showcase Session (digital/physical "poster session"), and Works-In-Progress Roundtables.

See the full CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS HERE.

Stephen Lind passes Exams

2011-10-08T19:02:00.004-04:00

Third year RCID doctoral candidate Stephen Lind successfully completed his Exams on September 30th.

The multi-modal component of his Exams included an exhibit of collectibles and rarities from the Peanuts franchise, followed by a presentation/defense of his proposed dissertation titled "Schulz's Religion: Exploring Faith in the Mainstream Media through the Peanuts Franchise." READ MORE about the exhibit and Stephen's dissertation plans over at the official RCID blog.

Carolina Rhetorics Conference

2011-01-12T11:59:00.005-05:00

Hello all you fine rhetors.

Since you're all stuck in the snow today, you should write an abstract instead.

The Carolina Rhetorics Conference deadline is THIS FRIDAY, January 15th. So, get yer abstracts together kiddos. And e-mail them to sorsa@mailbox.sc.edu with “CRC proposal” in the subject heading. All I know is that it's going to be EPIC, or at least it'll be a nice quaint gathering with some other people in the area who know what rhetoric is.

It'll all go down at USC on February 25-26.

Be there.

Welcome, Nicole McFarlane

2010-12-03T14:19:00.005-05:00

The Clemson Society for the Third Sophistic has officially elected Nicole McFarlane to fulfill the officer role of S3S/RSA Coordinator. The community felt that, with the addition of new responsibilities for the S3S, we needed someone to keep track of all of the things that we have to do as a newly minted chapter of the Rhetorics Society of America. Nicole is that person! It's a wonderful thing to see how we are changing, morphing, and growing into something grander.

The only question is... what's next?!

November Burning Man... and Woman

2010-11-16T16:31:00.004-05:00

The November S3S gathering was filled with toasty marshmallowy goodness. Folks came out to the new Butts household in Central. Fun was had by many.

The little ones of our bunch giggled around the fire.

Pictures can be seen below...

Dr. Richard Murphy, the newly appointed head of the languages department, charmed many with his British accent and highly recommended that we all watch M, a nearly perfect film...

so here it is... enjoy.

November Pictures!

2010-11-16T16:28:00.000-05:00

RSA Chapter

2010-10-07T10:58:00.003-04:00

Hello out there in the rhetoric world.

It's been a while since this blog has been updated; however, there is some important news to go down in the archives!

The Society of the 3rd Sophistic has become an official Rhetoric Society of America chapter. So, now S3S/RSA will function as our student organization for all things rhetorical!

You can now see us listed on the RSA website here.

A little history of S3S can be found in the first post on this blog, here. But one of the main functions of the organization's founding was to be able to have a student organization that could host a triennial conference called the Carolina Rhetorics Conference. Though other activities have evolved with the group including our monthly gatherings.

We hope to update rhetorical things here more regularly this year, and that this blog can become a space for professional development, community building, and other interestingness.

Aug 09: New Year, New Piñata

2009-09-04T09:40:00.005-04:00

Every school year needs an initiation rite. Three years ago they used to stuff a first-year student full of Skittles and whack him with an old laptop. We've come a long way.

Check out the entire roll of pictures from the Vitanzas.

In the weeks since, Bernard, Jimmy, Lauren, Juanrong, Walter, Steven, Stephen, and Taerhim have settled into Strode 205.

Soon they'll be unable to separate their first RCID memories from the preplatonics.

Next up: disco, disco, disco!

January s3s musings

2009-02-09T09:35:00.004-05:00

Anthony returns with insightful reflections for the new year...

“And that over there, that over there is Georgia.”

For S3S, 2009 began as it should: with a party. The population of Six Mile, South Carolina (553) grew by almost 10% when Tharon and Wendy Howard graciously opened their home to children, students, faculty, and friends, ready to restart another academic cycle.

The numbers may have been twice that if so many had not been lost to the wilderness (It was only by the luck of GPS that I arrived).
If the town of Six Mile is, in fact, six miles long, then there must be a folding of time and space somewhere along its edges.

Of course, it was worth the journey, not only for the Howards’ hospitality and special BBQ sauce for mini-Franks, but also for the sprawling landscape that surrounds the home. It was dark, not much could be seen, but the vastness was felt, especially by those of us from the city. All that non-concrete breathes loudly.

Hand-crafted Howard

Anyone taking a tour of the Howard home must marvel at how much of it was actually made by them. They built the house. They cleared the land. They installed all those nice little lights that wind up the back driveway to the deck.

If you ask, you may even be allowed a glimpse of the Howards’ Other Vehicle, that which contractors envy and the brush fears. Gazing up at its wheels and down at its mulching blades, one has to redefine what is traditionally thought of as the realm of an academic.

Wii

Two points:

1) the Howards have one.

2) Alicia Hatter’s tennis serve is not to be messed with.

Previews

• Carolina Rhetoric Conference: it’s up and running and coming to Clemson February 20-21. Sergio, who plans on offering wholesale web design prices, has just launched the site.

• The Return of PRE/TEXT: chicken claw and all. Keep watch, true-believers. In the meantime, those who are game (sorry, couldn’t help myself), may want to clear a space in your bookshelf now for the just-announced special issue:

[Jan Flyer]

• S3S This Week! Elisa Sparks has sent out a far-reaching invitation, crossing departments, disciplines, programs, Second Lives, and party lines. The gathering this Friday should not be missed.

• More Pictures and other Facebook Delights: Pictures have been loaded to facebook, both on akb's account (in order) and on our new Facebook s3s group page (inverted): s3s on facebook. Check us out, join in, leave comments, have fun.

december delights

2009-01-11T22:24:00.002-05:00

Our December s3s event, kindly hosted by the Collamatis, proved to be one of the best-attended and most-festive so far. Please see some of these facebook-based collections of pictures for evidence:
from Christina Hung
from Alicyn Butler
from me

As you've certainly heard enough from me, and asking Anthony to comment on his own event seemed a touch boorish, I've elicited commentary from other event-attendees. So, without further ado...

Alicia Hatter
If there was ever a "memorable moment" from this semester's S3Ss, for me
it was the moment my number was called for the gift exchange. I approached
the glowing Christmas tree and cast my eyes over the variously shaped
gifts waiting to be unwrapped. My number was early in the sequence of 25
or so, so there were many packages left to choose from. I selected an
odd-shaped object with typical snowman wrapping paper. "Surely this is a
special thing," I thought to myself, "For it's not in a bag or a box.
Indeed, it's got such a strange shape there'd be no normal box to fit it
in."

I don't know what I expected, other than fantastic-ness, when I tore into
the wrapping, but I can say that I did NOT expect to find myself in
possession of the item which I held somewhat incredulously in my hands: an
AM/FM clock radio. Circa 1990. Mr. Keith Morton had a sense of humor
indeed!

Merry Christmas, clever gift exchange. I actually can't wait until next
year to pick something from my own abode to re-gift. Much laughter and
mirth are surely to follow. :D

nov s3s

2008-12-06T16:09:00.003-05:00

We're a bit behind on our highlights for the last s3s event, but here's a sense of the evening. Apologies for the redundant zooming image motion -- iWeb mildly thwarted me. To see the photos with captions, try this link.

october s3s

2008-12-04T21:46:00.000-05:00

Alas, in a terrible oversight, I never published anything about our terrific s3s event in October, hosted kindly by Donna Reiss and Art Young! This event was made particularly notable by the following:

an exciting tour of downtown Greenville (which I unfortunately missed as I somehow managed yet again to get lost. And yes, I did live in Greenville for a year. I have no explanation.)

the introduction of much family (the full Ward clan, including daughter, son, and daughter-in-law; Jason Helm's mom Glee; Alicyn Butler's mom; and, for the first time at an s3s, Gavin Hodgson)

numerous culinary delights (like Donna's homemade hummus and apple cobbler. yum)

and some birthday cheer (ah, any chance to bring a bit of cheer and embarassment to another's birthday...I'm there).

And now, without further ado, a brief photo montage of said city festivities:

Many thanks once again to Art and Donna!

An RCID Request

2008-12-03T12:02:00.003-05:00

This was created by Anthony Collamati, with the help (to varying degrees) of other RCID students. It has been delivered to deans of Clemson University as of today.

Conference Clearinghouse

2008-09-30T22:28:00.002-04:00

ATTW
12th Annual ATTW Conference - March 11th, 2009 - San Francisco, CA
Theme: Beyond Work? Technical Communication in Professional, Community, & Social Networks
CFP deadline: 300 word proposals are due October 31st, 2008
http://cms.english.ttu.edu/attw/conference/2009-conference-cfp

PCA/ACA Pop Culture/American Culture: (No Theme)
National PCA/ACA Conference New Orleans Marriott Hotel April 8-11, 2009
CFP: 100 to 250 word abstract due November 30, 2008
http://www.pcaaca.org/conference/national.php

STC
May 3-6, 2009 Atlanta, GA
Proposal deadline Oct. 20, 2008
http://www.softconference.com/subs/stc/2009/
This is a good conference for someone who is interested in usability, training, documentation, and other industry practices.

IPCC
July 19-22 2009, Hawaii
Proposal deadline Oct 30, 2008
http://ewh.ieee.org/soc/pcs/files/IPCC-CallForPapers-2%201.pdf

CPTSC
Oct 2-4, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
http://www.unomaha.edu/cptsc2008/
2009 conference University of Aarhus (theme not defined yet)

IABC (International Association of Business Communication)
June 7-10, 2009 CFP is not out yet
http://www.iabc.com/ic/

ICCC
www. iaics.org is currently unavailable
Computer & Writing
June 16-19, 2009, UC-Davis
Proposal Deadline: Sept 19, 2008
http://writingprogram.ucdavis.edu/carlwhithaus/cw09_8_cfp.html
This is a good conference to go to if you are interested in employing technologies in teaching writing.

24th International Conference on Computers and Their Applications
March 25-27, 2009, New Orleans, Louisiana USA
http://www.isca-hq.org/CATA-2009-CFP.pdf
Sponsored by the International Society for Computers and Their Applications (ISCA)
The topics will include, but are not limited to, the following areas: Algorithms, Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, Artificial Intelligence, Image Processing, Computer-aided Design/manufacturing, Real-time Computing, Computing Practice and Applications
Papers will be accepted only by electronic submission (PDF only). A full paper, including title, author's name(s) and affiliation, mailing address, telephone, fax and email of the principal author, should be submitted before October 13, 2008 at the following web site:
https://secure.myhostadvantage.com/V0015065FC/con-reg/default.asp?ConID=81
Full paper Submission Deadline: October 13, 2008 Notification of Acceptance:
December 12, 2008 Pre-registration and Camera-ready paper due: January 9, 2009

Expanding Literacy Studies - International, Interdisciplinary Conference for Graduate Students
April 3-5, 2009, The Ohio State University
Submission Deadline: October 15, 2008
Website: www.literacystudies.osu.edu/conference
Theme: This conference aims to expand the dialogue and explore the landscape and intersections of literacy studies as a framework of critical investigation. This approach is meant to do the double work of expanding the field while critiquing the expansion. To that end, we invite proposals from graduate and professional students in ALL fields.
POSSIBLE TOPICS AND POINTS OF ENTRY: health literacy, literacy and technology, visual literacy, representations of literacy, definitions of literacy, law and literacy, art literacy, uses and abuses of literacy, motivations for literacy, symbol systems, the sociology of literacy, the teaching of literacy, reading and writing, literacy and science, performances of literacy, literacy and popular culture, the future of literacy, histories of literacy, intersections of literacy, production and consumption of texts, multiple literacies, the literacy myth, literacy and social change, sites of literacy, literacy in communities, work literacy.

SECOND LOOKS

2008-09-25T19:41:00.005-04:00

Halfway through September, a second S3S gathering, the Vitanzas reopen their home (is it ever closed?), and the surprises keep coming.

So here they are, moments of interest, objects of curiosity, and observations of no particular importance from a newb’s p.o.v.

No, seriously, how big is that deck?
About 10:00 p.m. only a handful of people remain in the Vitanza’s living room, plus, of course, two or three in the kitchen (always a few in the kitchen). This seems strange considering at previous Vitanza parties--I’ve been to 2 others if you count the preview visit--navigating the rooms has remained difficult until close to midnight when the crowd thins.

Suddenly the back door opens and the party’s size triples.

“Smoker’s are back,” someone says.

The picture below does no justice to the numbers of the Second Society of the Third Sophistic. They congregate on decks and patios. They smoke. They chat by floodlight and candlelight. I know Meredith Hilst is counted among their ranks.

Helms is where?
Hawaii. Some say with a student’s family. Others say with a friend he met at a football game. Most whisper of a mysterious romance with a woman remarkable for both her charm and her wealth.

At the party, he’s reached via cell phone. Victor immediately asks to speak

with him.

“Who gave you permission?!” he demands.

The reply never comes. Helms once again has gone underground.

Does it come in a can?
No, we learned, yeast bread does not.

He looks like he’s standing in a trailer park.
There’s a picture on the Vitanzas’ bookshelf, old enough that I remember it in black and white. There are other photos on the shelf, but Keri (my wife) is fascinated by that one. I think it is one of Victor’s relatives.

“I’m not sure. Ask Victor.”

She does, and we learn that it is Kenneth Burke. I suppose that counts as a relative. Someone confirms that the small doorway he seems to be coming in or out of--although it looks suspiciously like a medium-sized motor home--is, in fact, an airplane.

I will fight you for the last piece of that.
Toni’s corn casserole. It’s that good.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

ELSEWHERE
A few other notes to offer some context on the weeks that were/are.

First Year Report
With a manifesto to design in 805, book reviews to write for 801, and rodeo footage* to cut for 804, you can look into our faces this week, and nostalgically relive your first wave of pressure in a Ph.D. program.

*We took a class trip to the Westminster Apple-Rodeo Festival to shoot on the fly. One of the treats was Shawn Minor, the current World Champion Bull Rider. Mythologically fierce bull + Shawn Minor = easy. Other elements of the rodeo offered a little more opposition. I’m sure you’ll see soon (after all, we’re making videos).

That-A-Doer/Maker/Knower
Sergio, Alicia, and Mark put together a few designs for the Serious Gaming Colloquium. Here’s the final version, selected mainly for its comment on the continuing problem of dragon hate crimes in World of Warcraft.

RCID Lessons Learned
From the Body Colloquium: If you see this man driving a convertible--

--run. Or if you like your kisses with a little bruising, go ahead: pull over.

Coming Soon
Party at Art and Donna's. Promises of an urban hike. Bring your canteens.

-Anthony

hear ye, hear ye...

2008-09-12T09:04:00.000-04:00

Justin makes really nice newsletters. Amanda sent me a sample, and after reading through it, one word stuck with me: Recipes. Recipes? How did the man collect all this RCID trivia, keep up with what was going on from firstyears to faculty, while working on two dissertations and preparing for the arrival of a newborn?

I can't do that. I can't even attempt that, at least not for a while. I'm still learning names—the letter J took the entire first week—and I'm still struggling with doubt about the existence of my other 402 officemates. (Lin, I think, has come and gone, but the evidence is weak and witnesses won't talk.)

So what can I offer? Justin has kept S3S active in-between parties. The newsletter seemed like the event-after-the-event that made the event itself more than just a party at ____'s house. It suggested more than another happy hour (did you know Sonic has introduced a happy hour for slushes?). It was more than a social for a department/club/organization/class/association. It was, instead, a gathering of a Society, which continues to chat and exchange and engage after the dishes have been washed.

Every community that cares about itself usually produces some form of crier. Someone, whether it's a guy with a bell and a loud voice, a journalist, a bartender, a table in the corner of that cafe where they're always playing cards, or a 60 year-old obese man with a cane on a bench who knows everyone's name and laughs infectiously when he tells about the early days of the all-male strip club next to his apartment (his name was Gerry and he was my first...crier, that is).

This is not a setup for me to introduce myself as the second-coming of the Great S3S Crier. Like I said, I don't know enough, and I'll never live up to Justin's model.

Instead, I love the idea of criers. Better yet, I love the idea of a space for them. Throughout the year the parties are those spaces, but when the parties aren't in session, it's helpful to still have a bench, a cafe, a bar, or in this case a blog to go to. There's a Greek word for that, which I can't remember and should considering all the Greek I've been exposed to these past two weeks.

I'm more familiar with the Italian word: the piazza. I always wished America had more of them—outside of malls—closed to traffic, centralized for pedestrians, home to a good fountain or statue or two. Criers are more effective in spaces like these. Word spreads faster. Positions can form. Action can be taken.

So good idea, Amanda. We have a piazza here in this blog. Each Friday between parties, I plan on posting, sitting on my bench, if you will. You can expect, if you come close, the perspective of someone who is just learning about you. Although I won't be able to disguise the "I," I promise to make this, as much as I can, not about me.

And—if I can have one more turn of this metaphor—there are plenty more benches. I've got room on mine. Please, sit and talk awhile.

See you all tonight.

Anthony

3.1: party the first

2008-09-03T21:02:00.001-04:00

On Friday, 29 August 2008, the Society of the 3rd Sophistic (or 's3s', or, as I've always fondly considered it, 'the nerd party') recommenced monthly gathering for the third time. As has become tradition, the Vitanzas kindly hosted this first event of the new school year. Many students, faculty and families attended -- many familiar faces (Dinolfos, Mortons, Elisa Sparks, Jason Helms, Alicia Hatter, to name a few) and several new (including Collamatis, Newbolds, Nicole MacFarlane, JFB and Amy Monaghan). Not everyone could make it, of course, but three specific absences deserve special note -- Nikki Hodgson, Xiaoli Li, and Wu Dan. They were busy caring for (and recovering from) the newest additions to RCID -- a formal s3s welcome to YiYi, Gavin, and Yihan! We look forward to seeing them (and their parents, of course) at future events.

As usual, the gig hopped, with guests milling all around the house and back porch, enjoying countless delectable treats and engaging conversations of the academic and "otherwise" varieties. We caught up from our busy summers, hearing tales of travel, creation, and even some rest. New classes, for the taking and the teaching, were reflected upon, with expressions of hope, anxiety, overwhelmingness, and delight. While many guests began departing around 10pm, a few hardcore attendees held out until after midnight (note: this is not a standard requirement, and should not frighten either attendees nor future (and potential) hosts!).

In the final analysis, a good time seemed to be had by all. Evidence can be found through image. Theoretically, you should be able to view said photos, currently posted in my Facebook account, by following these links:
s3s August, aka "academics gone wild"
rcid kids (pics taken by Garrett and Ana)

I'll be working on other photo delivery methods as the semester progresses. I also encourage feedback (I'm quite sensitive to picture desirability -- if you don't like an image of yourself, I will gladly remove it!) and contribution. Send on your own images!

That's all for now. Looking forward to seeing everyone at our next gathering, coming soon to a location near you -- specifically, the Vitanzas', on Friday, 12 September 2008.

-akb

histories

2008-09-01T22:42:00.000-04:00

Discussions for an informal society of sorts began among RCID in December 2006, initially through the suggestion of vv. Justin Hodgson served as herald for this call, planning, organizing, coaxing and encouraging us into what we are today.

The plan was to help enrich our experiences here at Clemson by facilitating professional-social gatherings, a space/place where we (the RCID family) could gather and engage with one another in a less formal setting.Whether located in the center or at the fringes of RCID endeavors, all were (and are) welcome. As such, we encouraged spouses, children, guests, and the like to attend--we wanted to make everyone feel included and welcomed.

The concept, modeled after the Gorgias Society begun at UTA, was to have a social gathering the first Friday of every month for those who could make it. Our first meeting was an exception to this as we gathered on 19 January 2007. We soon appropriated the second Fridays of each month to avoid conflict with a Clemson poetry group and encourage more participation.

Early on, we had yet to decide on a societal name; many showed interest adopting "The Burkean Parlor" as well as in rekindling the previously mentioned "Gorgias Society" (now dormant). Amanda insisted on referring to our gatherings (with great affection) as "the nerd parties." Justin proposed a slightly more official and (potentially) appropriate name: Society of the 3rd Sophistic (aka s3s, that superliminal group). He also ran a "slogo" contest, garnering several interesting "slogos," which now grace the head of this blog.

As matter of fact (a very concept oft debated around these parts), Justin's dedication as coordinator and newsletter creator/composer for the first year and a half solidified s3s into the consistent and somewhat fantabulous group we now know, love, and count on for regular socialization.

-composed by JH and akb