The Politics of Sacred Rhetoric

Absolutist Appeals and Political Persuasion

by Morgan Marietta

Published by: Baylor University Press

Series: Studies in Rhetoric & Religion

Imprint: Baylor University Press

In a profound revelation of what truly undergirds modern political rhetoric, Morgan Marietta shows that the language of America's leaders often relies on deep, even sacred, ideals. The Politics of...

Sales Date: 2022-10-15

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ISBN 9781602583870
275 Pages

$44.99

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275 Pages

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Description
Contents
Authors
Praise

In a profound revelation of what truly undergirds modern political rhetoric, Morgan Marietta shows that the language of America's leaders often relies on deep, even sacred, ideals. The Politics of Sacred Rhetoric is a comprehensive and detailed survey of the rhetorical tactics employed even among the highest government offices as tools of political persuasion. Through careful analysis of the use of absolutist claims--and appeals to what a speaker deems to be universal truths--Marietta uncovers the sometimes subtle ways in which politicians employ this "sacred rhetoric" and demonstrates its impact on citizens' reasoning, public discourse, and the very nature of American democracy.

List of Tables and Figures

Acknowledgments

Introduction

PART I: The Psychology of Sacred Rhetoric

1 Sacred Rhetoric in American Politics

2 Values and Value Conflict, Sacred Values and Sacred Rhetoric

3 The Reasoning Effect: Sacred Rhetoric and Deliberation

4 The Activation Effect: Sacred Rhetoric and Participation

PART II: Political Consequences of Sacred Rhetoric

5 "From My Cold, Dead Hands": Sacred Rhetoric and Social Movements

6 The Absolutist Advantage: Sacred Rhetoric in the Bush Era

7 Sacred Rhetoric from Carter to Clinton: The 1976-1996 Presidential Debates

8 Sacred Rhetoric, the 2008 Campaigns, and the Democratic Party

Conclusion: "A Cure for Thought and the Diseases It Breeds"

Methodological Appendix: Subjects, an Experimental Approach

Notes

References

Index

Morgan Marietta is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

This book is deeply innovative. The Politics of Sacred Rhetoric examines oddly underexplored aspects of public opinion--in particular, the power of sacred values to trump technocratic-utilitarian reasoning in shaping the course of political debates and elections.
~Philip Tetlock, Leonore Annenberg University Professor in Democracy and Citizenship, University of Pennsylvania

The Politics of Sacred Rhetoric is an extraordinary book that streams together careful empirical analysis based on content analysis and experimental method with the paradoxes of democratic theory. To those worried about polarization and the future of civil political discourse, this book is essential reading.
~Bert A. Rockman, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Purdue University

One of the most innovative studies of political communication I have read. Marietta examines entirely new kinds of effects, including effects on how citizens reason about political issues, and evenhandedly locates both the promise and perils of sacred rhetoric in American politics.
~Diana C. Mutz, Samuel A. Stouffer Professor of Political Science and Communication and Director, Institute for the Study of Citizens and Politics, University of Pennsylvania