Bouwmeester, Willard
(2019)
Competitive Victimhood in Political Speeches: a Critical Discourse Analysis.
Master thesis, Master Religion Conflict and Globalisation.
Abstract
This study attempts to draw from a selection of speeches of George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden during the war on terrorism and looks at them through the lens of competitive victimhood. The question this thesis aims to answer is: how and to what extent is competitive victimhood employed in political speeches in public appearances of politicians during the war on terrorism, and what purpose does the use of religious metaphors in this discourse serve? The speeches are analyzed using a critical discourse analysis. This research finds that competitive victimhood was dominant in the discourse of political speeches in public appearances of politicians during the war on terrorism and, contrary to popular belief, the use of religion and religious metaphors in particular serves the purpose of strengthening this particular discourse. Both George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden claimed to be the ‘true’ victim of the conflict. Their identical language is employed to describe entirely different realities. This research also suggests that competitive victimhood is often not as binary as a good deal of literature state it is. Especially in discourse, the relationship with different groups in conflict are more complex, diverse and distinct.
Key notes: competitive victimhood, War on Terror, political discourse, critical discourse analysis
| Type: |
Thesis
(Master)
|
| Supervisors (RUG): |
| Supervisor | E-mail | Tutor organization | Tutor email |
|---|
| Tarusarira, J. | | Faculteit GGW, Religiewetenschap | J.Tarusarira@rug.nl | | McIvor, M.B. | | Faculteit GGW, Cultuurgeschiedenis van het Christendom | M.McIvor@rug.nl |
|
| Degree programme: |
Master Religion Conflict and Globalisation |
| Academic year: |
2019-2020 |
| Date of delivery: |
04 Sep 2020 10:08 |
| Last modified: |
04 Sep 2020 10:08 |
| URI: |
https://ggw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/550 |
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