A polarized electorate is divided into tribal camps that demonize each other. That's the setting for the upcoming midterm elections. If the US continues down this path, democracy will suffer.
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Articles on Political rhetoric
Displaying 1 - 20 of 36 articles
In Kenneth Burke's 'The War of Words,' the late rhetorical theorist picks apart the little ways news articles can subtly influence readers – and harden divisions.
Trump's surrogates have deployed tried and true rhetorical techniques to defend the president.
Aristotle coined the term "enthymeme" to refer to arguments, words and ideas that are broadly accepted among the people of a nation. So what happens when enthymemes start to disappear?
In the abstract, this near-mythic figure represents bravery, hard work and manliness.
It was remarkable to see Donald Trump stay on script for a full 80 minutes. It also proved what a gruelling tradition the State of the Union is.
The Conversation's experts annotate Treasurer Scott Morrison's 2017-18 budget speech.
For all their defiant talk of 'business as usual', savvy leaders know that any good response to a crisis is also an emotional performance.
Whatever you think of her politics, May's decision to rise above divisive tough talk was an admirable one.
An address that's normally a call for unity instead mirrored the rhetoric of his campaign: unfocused, contradictory and divisive.
Trump will be the 44th man to take to the inaugural podium. Very few have left a mark on it.
Heading into the last days of the Obama administration, the outgoing first lady cemented a noble legacy for herself.
Scholars of communications pick apart the rhetoric behind the 'war on coal' and explain why it ultimately benefits the coal industry.
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?
In reelection bid, Merkel's not just up against a xenophobic, nationalist party in Germany. In the wake of Trump’s election, liberal democracies around the world hope she'll defend them, too.
A good concession speech will use what rhetorical scholars call 'transcendent rhetoric,' which emphasizes conciliatory, unifying language.
Why is figurative language more powerful – and what feelings exactly does it stir in an audience?
An expert in political rhetoric singles out Trump's repeated use of reification – the tendency to treat people as things – and the role it's played in his tortured response to the leaked tape.
Australian politicians – unlike their American counterparts – have largely abandoned the art of stirring speeches. Good rhetoric doesn't equal good policy, but at least it's evidence of imaginative thinking.
The same forces that drive belief in conspiracy theories are the ones driving the rise of Donald Trump. So it's no wonder that, less than two months until the election, he continues to dabble in and promote them.
Top contributors
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Associate Professor of Communication, Texas A&M University
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Associate Professor in Linguistics, Macquarie University
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Senior Lecturer in Education, University of Westminster
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Principal Research Fellow, Institute for the Study of Social Change, University of Tasmania
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Associate Professor, First Year College, Victoria University
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Dennis Altman is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professorial Fellow in Human Security, La Trobe University
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Professor, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong
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Research Fellow, Sydney Democracy Network, University of Sydney
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Professor of Political Communication, University of Leeds
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Reader in Social and Political Psychology, Coventry University
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Professor of Classics, La Trobe University
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Program Director, Budget Policy and Institutional Reform, Grattan Institute
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Distinguished University Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University
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Assistant researcher, University of Sydney
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Aaron Duncan is a Friend of The Conversation.
Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
