On the basis of Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis this work will examine the discourse in two speeches by George W. Bush and Barack Obama to determine in what way they legitimize the War on Terror.
Although speeches on terrorism have been part of American politics for a long time, since 2001 as a result of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, they seem to have become more important, both with ex-President Bush and the current President Obama. On the morning of September 11, 2001 the world changed with the terrorist attacks and then the political discourse surrounding the event changed our understanding of the event even further. The world witnessed a great act of terrorism.
In the weeks, months, and years to come Bush gave a series of speeches in which he focused on terrorism, leading up to the coinage of the "Axis of evil". However, in his first post 9/11 speech, Bush's discourse categorized the terrorist as "evil", and in his first speech to Congress post 9/11 we hear for the first time the phrase "War on Terror". This phrase has come to define the presidency of George Bush. It was inherited and further refined by President Obama and has now also to a degree come to define his presidency. In September 2014 Obama held a speech on ISIL and declared them a terrorist organisation with barbaric values. Though 13 years had passed and a democratic President had replaced a Republican President, these words sounds very similar to some of the words which Bush used in his speech.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Thesis Statement
- Defining Terrorism
- The concept of terrorism is a complex phenomenon
- The term "terrorism" was first popularized during the French Revolution
- By the 1930s, the meaning of "terrorism" had changed again
- However, following the Second World War, in another swing of the pendulum, terrorism regained its revolutionary connotations
- During the 1960s and 1970s terrorism continued to be viewed within a revolutionary context
- Theoretic Framework
- Analysis and Discussion of George Bush's Speech
- Analysis and Discussion of Barack Obama's Speech
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The objective of this project is to critically analyze the discourse of two speeches by George W. Bush and Barack Obama on the "War on Terror," utilizing Norman Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis framework. The study aims to understand how these speeches legitimize the "War on Terror" and how the rhetoric of both presidents contributes to shaping public perception of terrorism.
- The evolving definition of terrorism
- The influence of political rhetoric on public understanding of terrorism
- The role of media in constructing the "War on Terror" narrative
- The power of language to legitimize political actions and policies
- The use of discourse analysis to reveal underlying ideologies and power dynamics
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: The introduction examines the complexity of the term "terrorism" and how it has been used and manipulated in political discourse, particularly in the context of the "War on Terror." It highlights the difficulty in defining terrorism due to its changing meaning and the influence of media and political rhetoric.
- Defining Terrorism: This chapter provides a historical overview of the term "terrorism," tracing its evolution from its initial positive connotations during the French Revolution to its association with mass repression by totalitarian states in the 1930s and its subsequent return to its revolutionary context in the post-World War II era. The chapter highlights the dynamic nature of the term and how it has been influenced by changing political and historical contexts.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The primary keywords and concepts explored in this work include: terrorism, critical discourse analysis, War on Terror, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, political rhetoric, media influence, language, ideology, power dynamics, legitimation, public perception.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Martin Lausten (Autor:in), 2014, Language at War. A Critical Discourse Analysis by Speeches of Bush and Obama on War and Terrorism, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/324269
