On Expertise

On Expertise, volume 1, by Ashley Rose Mehlenbacher, examines the growing distrust of specialists within modern American society. As populist politics influence how people view scientists and scholars, this work offers a robust defense of the expert class. Through the lenses of rhetoric and psychology, the author analyzes how individuals gain authority and how that authority is perceived by the public.

This study in communication studies and rhetoric explores both ancient and modern theories of expertise. Mehlenbacher utilizes interviews with forty professionals to demonstrate that expertise is a rhetorical construct requiring both technical skill and social acknowledgment. By investigating the social aspects of science and philosophy, the book explains how experts can rebuild credibility through prudent action and goodwill. This volume provides a sophisticated framework for understanding how authority functions in a complex, contemporary world.