America's Call to Defend Freedom - A Critical Discourse Analysis of Three Presidential Speeches
Author
Pedersen, Maria Holme
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2013
Pages
143
Abstract
This thesis examines how three U.S. presidents communicate during crises in which the national ideal of freedom is perceived as threatened. Focusing on Ronald Reagan’s 1987 speech at the Brandenburg Gate (Cold War), George W. Bush’s 2002 State of the Union (post-9/11), and Barack Obama’s 2009 strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, it analyzes how they convey solutions, political visions, and ideologies. The study applies Critical Discourse Analysis using Teun A. van Dijk’s sociocognitive approach and Ideological Discourse Analysis, including attention to positive self-presentation and negative other-presentation, alongside framing and persuasion theories from Robert M. Entman (cascading activation), Charles J. Fillmore (frame semantics), and George Lakoff (family models). A five-stage crisis management perspective (Boin et al.) provides context for leaders’ tasks and expectations. The thesis addresses three questions: how each president expresses a bipartite worldview (us/them), which of Lakoff’s family models best fits their framing, and why they communicate and frame as they do. The analysis considers local meanings, formal structures, context models, and social cognition to illuminate how presidential rhetoric seeks to persuade and legitimize policy in times of crisis. Detailed findings are developed in later chapters; this excerpt outlines the study’s framework and focus.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan tre amerikanske præsidenter kommunikerer under kriser, hvor den nationale forestilling om frihed opleves som truet. Med udgangspunkt i Ronald Reagans tale ved Brandenburger Tor i 1987 (Den Kolde Krig), George W. Bushs State of the Union i 2002 (efter 9/11) og Barack Obamas strategi for Afghanistan og Pakistan fra 2009 analyseres, hvordan de formidler løsninger, politiske visioner og ideologier. Studiet anvender kritisk diskursanalyse med Teun A. van Dijks sociokognitive tilgang og ideologisk diskursanalyse, herunder fokus på positiv selvtildeling og negativ fremstilling af andre, samt teorier om framing og påvirkning fra Robert M. Entman (cascading activation), Charles J. Fillmore (frame semantics) og George Lakoff (familiemodeller). Et fem-faset krisestyringsperspektiv (Boin m.fl.) bruges som kontekst for lederes opgaver og forventninger. Afhandlingen adresserer tre spørgsmål: hvordan hver præsident udtrykker en todelt verdensforståelse (os/dem), hvilke af Lakoffs familiemodeller der bedst passer til deres indramning, og hvorfor de kommunikerer og framer som de gør. Analysen behandler lokale betydninger, formelle strukturer, kontekstmodeller og social kognition for at belyse, hvordan præsidentiel retorik søger at overbevise og legitimere politiske valg i krisetider. Den videre dokumentation af resultater udfoldes i de efterfølgende kapitler; dette uddrag skitserer rammerne og fokus for studiet.
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