Political keywords : using language that uses us / Roderick P. Hart ... [and others].

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Hart, Roderick P.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Rhetoric--Political aspects--United States.

Rhetoric.

Rhetoric--Political aspects.

United States--Politics and government.

United States.

Politics and government.

Physical Description:

ix, 279 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Oxford University Press, 2005.

Summary:

The Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal in the United States, but that statement does not hold true for words. Some words carry more weight than others-they seem to work harder, get more done, and demand more respect. Political Keywords: Using Language That Uses Us looks at eight dominant words that are crucial to American political discourse and how they have been employed during the last fifty years. Based on an analysis of eleven separate studies of political language, Political Keywords helps readers to understand what these terms mean and how they are used. For example, the book tracks what politics now means to modern commentators, how school-teachers impress certain values upon the nation's children by invoking the office of the president, and why an innocent word like government sometimes makes people so upset. It details how the people are referenced in political talk and how the media portray themselves. The book also considers the work done by political parties, political promises, and political consultants because, together, they shed special light on modern elections. Combining social science with subtle forms of cultural interpretation, Political Keywords: Using Language That Uses Us provides a fresh look at both American politics and American language. It is an ideal text for undergraduate and graduate courses in political communication, political language, political campaigns, media and politics, political psychology, public opinion, rhetorical criticism, contemporary public address, and presidential rhetoric.

Contents:

1 The Possibilities of Language 1

Unit 1 The Language of Politics 19

2 Whither Politics? An Evolving Construct 21

3 What Is Politics? An Inventory of Meanings 44

Unit 2 The Language of Democracy 65

4 The Government: A Troubling Ally 67

5 The Media: Powerful Despite Themselves 87

6 The People: Constructing an Electorate 108

Unit 3 The Language of Leadership 129

7 The President: Lessons in Political Socialization 131

8 The President: How Institutions Preserve Themselves 150

9 The President: Managing Democratic Tensions 166

Unit 4 The Language of Campaigning 183

10 The Party: An Irrepressible Institution 185

11 The Promise: Imagining the Future Together 206

12 The Consultant: A Synecdoche for All of Politics 226

Conclusion: Language in Retrospect 246.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0195162382

0195162390

OCLC:

54670522