Overview

Political Discourse Analysis addresses the challenges facing political actors at all levels of society and across a range of regimes. It shows how discursive legitimisation strategies can vary on a continuum ranging from the stabilising effects of institutional discourse and the management of destabilising factors inherent in new types of media to the destabilising potential of rhetorical devices and deliberate de-legitimisation strategies used to attack opponents. The diverse approaches show how political actors strive to maintain control in the context of democratic deficit and crisis in developed societies while addressing growing global threats to stability in all regimes. While many actors seek legitimisation through the institutional structure, media or rhetoric, others may seek to weaken any opposition to them through de-legitimisation. In this collection Butler provides the reader with replicable methods that can be adapted to political contexts.

Full Product Details

Author:   Robert Butler (Senior Lecturer, University of Lorraine, Nancy)
Publisher:   Edinburgh University Press
Imprint:   Edinburgh University Press
ISBN:  

9781399523196

ISBN 10:   1399523198
Pages:   240
Publication Date:   31 December 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  College/higher education ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Not yet available  
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements List of Figures List of Tables Notes on Contributors Preface Introduction: Legitimisation strategies for a de-legitimised political world, Robert Butler PART I: The role of legitimisation in institutional contexts 1. Education and political socialisation in contemporary China: From institutional discourse to teaching materials, Chiara Bertulessi 2. Smoothing processes in United Nations discourse on violence against women: A diachronic perspective, Célia Atzeni 3. Who calls whom a populist? A pragmatic analysis of the uses of populism(s) and populist(s) in French and Spanish parliamentary debates, Nadezda Shchinova 4. The Brexit Saga: Stancetaking, Control and Identity in Political Discourse, Juana I. Marín-Arrese PART II: Legitimisation and new media 5. Political discourse and the new media: New architectures of communication, Mariya Chankova 6. Meaning-making in Trump’s anti-Biden political campaign commercials: Multimodal perspective, Tetiana Krysanova PART III: Legitimisation strategies and conceptualisation 7. A critical analysis of figurative language in the political discourse of conflict in Africa, Issa Kanté 8. The Card Metaphor ‘Play the X Card’ as a Social Practice and its Pragmatic Functions, Yuuki Tomoshige 9. Metaphors and political arguments in environmental debates: ‘Our house is still on fire’, Anaïs Augé Concluding remarks: Towards Legitimisation Studies in contemporary crises, Robert Butler and Anaïs Augé

Reviews

Political Discourse Analysis: Legitimisation Strategies in Crisis and Conflict is a much needed work. It is an influential book which cleverly analyses a key discursive strategy used by politicians in the current social and political climate. Its nine chapters provide an original, critical insight into the communicative aspects of today's political discourse. --Massimiliano Demata, University of Torino An insightful contribution to political discourse analysis, addressing the timely topic of legitimization strategies in the context of crisis and conflict. This book covers an impressive array of discursive genres, modes, and cultures, and include discourses from African, Asian, European and American politicians, environmental activists, and other social actors. Essential reading not only for political discourse scholars, but also for researchers interested in critical discourse analysis. --Laura Hidalgo-Downing, Autonomous University of Madrid

An insightful contribution to political discourse analysis, addressing the timely topic of legitimization strategies in the context of crisis and conflict. This book covers an impressive array of discursive genres, modes, and cultures, and include discourses from African, Asian, European and American politicians, environmental activists, and other social actors. Essential reading not only for political discourse scholars, but also for researchers interested in critical discourse analysis. -- Laura Hidalgo-Downing, Autonomous University of Madrid Political Discourse Analysis: Legitimisation Strategies in Crisis and Conflict is a much needed work. It is an influential book which cleverly analyses a key discursive strategy used by politicians in the current social and political climate. Its nine chapters provide an original, critical insight into the communicative aspects of today’s political discourse. -- Massimiliano Demata, University of Torino

Author Information

Robert Butler is Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Languages at the University of Lorraine, Nancy. His research interests include discourse, cognition and multimodality, primarily in the political sphere.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions