War of Words

Silberstein, Sandra

ISBN 10: 0415336244 / ISBN 13: 9780415336246

Published by Routledge (edition 1), 2004

About this Item

It's a well-cared-for item that has seen limited use. The item may show minor signs of wear. All the text is legible, with all pages included. It may have slight markings and/or highlighting.

Seller Inventory # 0415336244-11-1

Bibliographic Details

• Title: War of Words
• Publisher: Routledge (edition 1)
• Publication Date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0415336244
• ISBN 13: 9780415336246
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition: 1.
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

In a media age, wars are waged not only with bombs and planes but also with video and sound bites. War of Words is an incisive report from the linguistic battlefields, probing the tales told about September 11th to show how Americans created consensus in the face of terror. Capturing the campaigns for America's hearts, minds, wallets and votes, Silberstein traces the key cultural conflicts that surfaced after the attacks and beyond:

• the attacks on critical intellectuals for their perceived 'blame America first' attitude
• the symbiotic relationship between terrorists and the media
• (mis)representations of Al Qaeda and the Taliban used to justify military action
• the commercialisation of September 11th
• news as 'entertainment' when covering tragic events.

Now featuring a new chapter on the Second Anniversary and Beyond, including: the war in Iraq, the backlash against former 'heroes' and accusations of presidential mendacity.
A perceptive and disturbing account, War of Words reveals the role of the media in manufacturing events and illuminates the shifting sands of American collective identity in the post September 11th world.

About the Author

Sandra Silberstein is a leading name in applied linguistics, and Professor of English at the University of Washington, Seattle. She is widely published, and has written articles on a number of politically sensitive topics, including the OJ Simpson trial, the Gulf War, AIDS and the Inauguration of George Bush.