Brent Cotton
Biography
Brent received his PhD from Laurentian University with a focus on rhetoric and environmental communication. Through his research, Brent explored the use of melodramatic rhetoric in the industrial wind turbines controversy in Ontario. Using the insights gained from this research, he continues to explore the intersections between rhetorical melodrama and public controversies.
In addition to teaching communication courses at Georgian College, Brent also teaches film studies including courses on cinema genres and documentary film. In his documentary film course, Brent works with his students to create short documentary films (films under five minutes in length). Through this work, Brent continues to research the rhetorical dynamics of short documentaries and how they can be used as a form of advocacy in a variety of contexts, including public controversies.
Research interests and areas of expertise
- Rhetorical dynamics of public controversies
- Advocacy and argumentation
- Short documentary films