One Region, Four Movements: Constructing Cascadia through Rhetoric

Through traditional rhetorical analysis, this thesis examines arguments made for a ―Cascadia‖ regional identity (roughly located around Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia) made by four strands of Cascadian thought: Cascadia as a bioregion, as a nation, as a culture, and as an economic region. From each concept, two texts are analyzed to find the audience being targeted and the arguments being made. Examining how each Cascadia attempts to define itself and draw members—often by contrasting or coordinating with the other versions—shows some similarities, like pride in the natural environment, as well as clear distinctions, like differing opinions as to the boundaries of the region itself. The separate notions of Cascadia come with their own sets of values, and by looking at an overview of the arguments being made, this thesis provides insights into Cascadia specifically as well as regional identities in general.