Expanding Kairos: An Analysis of Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense' and American Cold War Anti-Communism

The Greek term kairos has been used extensively in the history of rhetorical studies to describe speeches or events that occur at the "right time" or "opportune moment"; however, this definition does not do justice to the complexities of the historical concept. The purpose of this project is to re-investigate the historical definitions to provide a broader definition for kairos that can provide helpful tools for rhetorical studies, specifically rhetorical analyses of historical events. This project's expansion of kairos is twofold: first, it re-defines kairos as a function of secular conversion in specific moments and then, as constellation of events. To accomplish this, the project utilizes Dale Sullivan's conception of a kairotic rhetoric of conversion to analyze the impact of Thomas Paine's pamphlet, Common Sense on pre-revolutionary America. The second step of the expansion--- kairos as a constellation of events---is analyzed through the investigation of the constellation of discourses that influence the processual development of American anti-communism at the end of World War II. By seeking this expanded definition of kairos, the goal of this project is to provide movement scholars with a new perspective with which to analyze their artifacts, and to give rhetorical scholars a new perspective on an old term.