Creating a Crisis ; A Critical Constructivist Approach to Presidential Rhetoric

Politics and speech have always been closely linked, which is apparent in the continuous public presence of politicians around the world – and what seems like year-round campaigning. For this reason political speech is a matter of public and scholarly interest, with the focus of this book on the crisis rhetoric of American Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. Presidential rhetoric works in various ways to make a situation comprehensible for the public, help handle their fears and portray a certain reality. The created reality keeps in mind the fears of the people and works to confront these fears. This book looks into the rhetorical devices used in the speeches and applies the concept of Fantasy Theme Analysis to show what ideas and realities are conveyed in this presidential crisis rhetoric.

Nicole Assmann, Mag. phil.: English/American Studies and Media Communications at the University of Graz. Professional translator for English. Shiatsu Practitioner.