A house in a kibbutz In Be'eri, Israel, was the scene of part of the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.
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Many people who aren’t Jewish are responding as if what’s been taking place is just another episode of Israeli-Palestinian violence. But it’s different for many Jews.
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Phrases like ‘I suppose’ and ‘I would argue’ can project a lack of confidence when speaking.
Susan Stebbing’s 1939 work is just as relevant today as it was then.
National Portrait Gallery, London via Creative Commons
In our “post-truth” political era, there is a lot we can learn from an under-appreciated philosopher who focused on “thinking clearly.”
President Donald Trump uses his smartphone.
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
The 45th president of the United States used a specific technique to tell different versions of the very same story, of a nation under threat and a man working to save it.
Dangerous speech is a toxic brew of emotion and age-old tropes.
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Scholars who study dangerous speech have identified common themes that can lead to violence.
Alex Brandon/AP
The suggestion Trump has been censored is simply wrong. It misleads the public into believing all ‘free speech’ claims have equal merit. They do not.
Both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump have been accused of using hate speech.
AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi
My research shows that when politicians use hate speech, it’s not just empty rhetoric or political theater: Domestic terrorism increases, in the US and in other countries.
Trump targets white voters with hostile, angry language.
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Dog whistles constitute coded language that only some voters can hear. But Trump does not hide his bigotry when talking about Mexican ‘rapists,’ the ‘China virus’ and ‘law and order.’
Joe Biden speaks at a rally before Super Tuesday, the day his campaign roared back to life.
AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
A good public speaker needs to be able to write and deliver an effective speech as well as to improvise.
In a landmark decision, High Court ruled that the federal government may legitimately restrict the right of public servants to express political views.
Lukas Coch/AAP
The decision confirms the steady march of employer control over workers’ private views and activities, supported by courts and tribunals over many years.
A crowd gathers before a speech by Ben Shapiro at University of California Berkeley.
AP Photo/Josh Edelson
From the football field to the library, this roundup of archival stories explores how the First Amendment applies to various aspects of our lives.
If you’re a public servant, just liking a post on Facebook or Twitter could be a problem.
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Social media is complicating Australia’s implied constitutional right to political speech. Bernard Gaynor’s case could offer more clarity.
Former FBI Director James Comey testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington.
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Hoover abused his power as FBI director to serve presidents’ interests. The reforms that followed were set up to prevent it from happening again.
What was between the lines of Scott Morrison’s budget speech?
AAP/Mick Tsikas
The Conversation’s experts annotate Treasurer Scott Morrison’s 2017-18 budget speech.
A matter of tone.
EPA/Jack Taylor
Whatever you think of her politics, May’s decision to rise above divisive tough talk was an admirable one.
A supporter of the Pirate Party in Reykjavik, Iceland.
AP Photo/Frank Augstein
While the US is reeling from rampant fake online news, political movements in Europe are using the internet as a powerful democratic symbol to win elections. Will cyber-optimism or pessimism win?
Hillary Clinton gives her concession speech before her staff and supporters.
Carlos Barria/Reuters
A good concession speech will use what rhetorical scholars call ‘transcendent rhetoric,’ which emphasizes conciliatory, unifying language.
Donald Trump speaks at his election night rally in Manhattan.
Carlo Allegri/Reuters
President-elect Trump sounded very different from candidate Trump.
Imagine, if you will…
EPA/Andrew Kelly
Why is figurative language more powerful – and what feelings exactly does it stir in an audience?
… and cue trapdoor.
PA/Stefan Rousseau
This psychologist has studied equivocation for years, but had to invent a new category for the prime minister’s unique style.