Delegitimization, Recontextualization, and (Re)Framing Processes A Study of the Coverage of a ‘Populist’ Representative by a ‘Populist’ Talk Show
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13136/2281-4582/2020.i15.570Keywords:
delegitimization strategies, Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA), ideological discourse, framing, recontextualizing principlesAbstract
This paper analyzes the coverage of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, an American politician whose political discourse has aligned her with left-wing populism (LWP), by Tucker Carlson Tonight, a Fox News talk show hosted by a political commentator whose views have aligned him with right-wing populism (RWP). It explores the mechanisms that govern the presentation, interpretation, and framing of the antagonistic opponent via the analysis of delegitimization strategies, recontextualizing principles, and (re)framing processes. Findings suggest that the antagonist is delegitimized with ironic formulations, ad hominem attacks and debasing attributions that cast doubts on her authority and expertise. Recontextualization involves the suppression and concealment of the antagonist’s standpoints and underlying ideologies, and reframing occurs in discourse surrounding racism based on whom is the (perceived) recipient of racism. While many of the strategies employed are emblematic of populist discourse, others connote ageism, sexism, and racism expressed in overt and covert ways.References
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Joyella, Mark. “Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson Hit All-Time Highs as Fox Sweeps Ratings in November.” Forbes Magazine 26 November 2019. www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2019/11/26/fox-news-cruises-to-records-as-it-hits-215th-consecutive-monthly-ratings-victory-in-november/#380aa13042b5.
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Reyes, Antonio. “Strategies of Legitimization in Political Discourse: From Words to Actions.” Discourse & Society 22.6 (2011): 781-807.
Rodrigues, Rui, Ana Veloso and Óscar Mealha. “Influence of the Graphical Layout of Television News on the Viewers: An Eye Tracking Study.” Observatorio (OBS*) Journal 10.1 (2016): 67-82.
Sclafani, Jennifer. Talking Donald Trump: A Sociolinguistic Study of Style, Metadiscourse, and Political Identity. London: Routledge, 2018.
Screti, Francesco. “Defending Joy Against the Popular Revolution: Legitimation and Delegitimation Through Songs.” Critical Discourse Studies 10.2 (2013): 205-222.
Stalsburg, Brittany L. “Voting for Mom: The Political Consequences of Being a Parent for Male and Female Candidates.” Politics & Gender 6 (2010): 373-404.
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---. “Ideology and Discourse Analysis.” Journal of Political Ideologies 11.2 (2006): 115-140.
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Maykel Verkuyten. Farnham: Ashgate, 2000. 91-116.
---. “Principles of Critical Discourse Analysis.” Discourse & Society 4.2 (1993): 249-283.
Van Leeuwen, Theo. “Legitimation in Discourse and Communication.” Discourse & Communication 1.1 (2007): 91-112.
---. “The Representation of Social Actors.” Texts and Practices. Edited by Carmen Rosa Caldas-Coulthard and Malcolm Coulthard. London: Routledge, 1996. 32-42.
Varis, Piia, and Jan Blommaert. “Conviviality and Collectives on Social Media: Virality, Memes, and New Social Structures.” Multilingual Margins 2.1 (2018): 31-45.
Wodak, Ruth. The Politics of Fear: What Right-Wing Populist Discourses Mean. London: SAGE, 2015.
Wodak, Ruth and Norman Fairclough. “Recontextualizing European Higher Education Policies: The Cases of Austria and Romania.” Critical Discourse Studies 7.1 (2010): 19-40.
Carlson, Tucker. Ship of Fools: How a Selfish Ruling Class is Bringing America to the Brink of Revolution. New York: Free Press, 2018.
Crawford, Alan Pell. “Tucker Carlson: The Populist Paladin of Primetime.” The American Conservative 26 February 2018. www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/tucker-carlson-the-populist-paladin-of-primetime/. All websites last visited 20/04/2020.
De Cleen, Benjamin, Jason Glynos and Aurelien Mondon. “Critical Research on Populism: Nine Rules of Engagement.” Organization 25.5 (2018): 649-61.
DiAngelo, Robin J. White Fragility: Why It’s so Hard for White People to Talk about Racism. Boston: Beacon Press, 2019.
Fairclough, Norman. Analyzing Discourse: Textual Analysis for Social Research. London: Routledge, 2003.
Ferguson, Kathy E. “Elements of a Feminist Discourse.” Organizational Studies: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management (Vol 2). Edited by Warwick Organizational Behaviour Staff. London: Routledge, 2000. 950-1000.
Georgiou, Nikoletta. “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Populism and Relatability.” Diggit Magazine 17 February 2020. www.diggitmagazine.com/articles/alexandria-ocasio-cortezs-populism-and-relatability.
Goffman, Erving. Frame Analysis. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1974.
Gramlich, John. “5 Facts About Fox News.” Pew Research Center 8 April 2020. www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/08/five-facts-about-fox-news/.
Hagle, Courtney. “Six Weeks of Fox’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Obsession: ‘Totalitarian,’ ‘Scary,’ and Waging a ‘War on Cows.’” Media Matters for America 12 April 2019. www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/six-weeks-foxs-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-obsession-totalitarian-ignorant-scary-and-waging#methodology.
Hill, Jane H. “Language, Race, and White Public Space.” American Anthropologist 100.3, (1998): 680-689.
Joyella, Mark. “Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson Hit All-Time Highs as Fox Sweeps Ratings in November.” Forbes Magazine 26 November 2019. www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2019/11/26/fox-news-cruises-to-records-as-it-hits-215th-consecutive-monthly-ratings-victory-in-november/#380aa13042b5.
Lockwood, Matthew. “Right-wing Populism and the Climate Change Agenda: Exploring the Linkages.” Environmental Politics 27.4 (2018): 712-732.
Macaulay, Marcia. “A Short Introduction to Populism.” Populist Discourse: International Perspectives. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019. 1-26.
MacDougald, Park. “Is Tucker Carlson the Most Important Pundit in America?” New York Magazine 17 September 2019. www.nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/09/is-tucker-carlson-the-most-important-pundit-in-america.html.
March, Luke. “Left and Right Populism Compared: The British Case.” The British Journal of Politics and International Relations 19.2 (2017): 282-303.
McCright, Aaron M. and Riley E. Dunlap. “The Politicization of Climate Change and Polarization in the American Public’s Views of Global Warming, 2001–2010.” The Sociological Quarterly 52 (2011): 155-194.
Mudde, Cas. “The Populist Zeitgeist.” Government and Opposition 39.4 (2004): 542-563.
Mudde, Cas and Cristóbal Rovira Kaltwasser. Populism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.
Nash, Walter. The Language of Humour. London: Routledge, 1985.
Reisigl, Martin and Ruth Wodak. Discourse and Discrimination: Rhetorics of Racism and Antisemitism. London: Routledge, 2001.
---. “The Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA).” Methods for Critical Discourse Analysis (2nd ed.). Edited by Ruth Wodak and Michael Meyer. London: SAGE, 2009. 87-121.
Reyes, Antonio. “Strategies of Legitimization in Political Discourse: From Words to Actions.” Discourse & Society 22.6 (2011): 781-807.
Rodrigues, Rui, Ana Veloso and Óscar Mealha. “Influence of the Graphical Layout of Television News on the Viewers: An Eye Tracking Study.” Observatorio (OBS*) Journal 10.1 (2016): 67-82.
Sclafani, Jennifer. Talking Donald Trump: A Sociolinguistic Study of Style, Metadiscourse, and Political Identity. London: Routledge, 2018.
Screti, Francesco. “Defending Joy Against the Popular Revolution: Legitimation and Delegitimation Through Songs.” Critical Discourse Studies 10.2 (2013): 205-222.
Stalsburg, Brittany L. “Voting for Mom: The Political Consequences of Being a Parent for Male and Female Candidates.” Politics & Gender 6 (2010): 373-404.
Van Dijk, Teun A. “Ideology and Discourse.” The Oxford Handbook of Political Ideologies. Edited by Michael Freeden. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. 175-196.
---. “Ideology and Discourse Analysis.” Journal of Political Ideologies 11.2 (2006): 115-140.
---. “Ideologies, Racism, and Discourse: Debates on Immigration and Ethnic Issues.” Comparative Perspectives on Racism. Edited by Jessika ter Wal and
Maykel Verkuyten. Farnham: Ashgate, 2000. 91-116.
---. “Principles of Critical Discourse Analysis.” Discourse & Society 4.2 (1993): 249-283.
Van Leeuwen, Theo. “Legitimation in Discourse and Communication.” Discourse & Communication 1.1 (2007): 91-112.
---. “The Representation of Social Actors.” Texts and Practices. Edited by Carmen Rosa Caldas-Coulthard and Malcolm Coulthard. London: Routledge, 1996. 32-42.
Varis, Piia, and Jan Blommaert. “Conviviality and Collectives on Social Media: Virality, Memes, and New Social Structures.” Multilingual Margins 2.1 (2018): 31-45.
Wodak, Ruth. The Politics of Fear: What Right-Wing Populist Discourses Mean. London: SAGE, 2015.
Wodak, Ruth and Norman Fairclough. “Recontextualizing European Higher Education Policies: The Cases of Austria and Romania.” Critical Discourse Studies 7.1 (2010): 19-40.
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