BookTube as a Digital Discourse Community: A Multimodal Rhetorical Analysis of Classical Appeals and New Media Elements

Abstract

This study investigates the rhetorical practices and community-building strategies employed by BookTubers on YouTube. Grounded in classical rhetoric and new media theory, Swales’s (1990) notion of discourse community, this study examined how digital technologies are transforming traditional rhetorical principles. A total of six videos from five different BookTubers (McComb, Pham, Gavin, Reesha, and Shruti) are selected.  Results demonstrated that BookTubers utilise a mixture of classical persuasion (ethos, pathos, logos) and multimodal techniques (integration, interactivity, hypermedia, immersion, and narrativity) to engage and connect with viewers. Moreover, findings revealed that BookTube acts both as a book review platform and a space for co-construction through dialogue. The study found that the comment section acts as a platform for literary dialogues, affective responses, and the reinforcement of community norms. This study proposed that BookTube’s commenting practices align with Swales's discourse community, but allow for expansion of the term to include social interactive spaces on digital platforms, essentially creating what could be referred to as digitally mediated rhetorical audiences. By highlighting classical rhetoric and multimodal strategies alongside technological know-how, this case study works to enhance discussions across digital rhetoric, discourse community studies, and media ethnography.