Bowers v. Lawrence: the Narratives of the Supreme Court

This thesis examines the rhetoric of the Court's opinions in Bowers v. Hardwick and Lawrence v. Texas from a narrative approach informed by theories on the rhetorical situation. The Bowers majority opinion is framed around themes of history, morality and a reductionist understanding of sexual orientation which allows the Court to endorse sodomy laws. In Lawrence v. Texas a competing narrative was shaped that reframed elements of the Bowers narrative in order to ultimately reject the Court's decision in Bowers. This analysis demonstrates that narrative method of rhetorical analysis is helpful in understanding what is happening when the Court acts.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts in Communication

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Communication

Year

2007

Author dc:creator

• Bohlmann, Daniel Christopher

Contributors dc:contributor

• Eric Morris

• rhetoric
• United States Supreme Court
• judicial
• Bowers
• Hardwick
• Lawrence
• Texas
• sodomy
• Communication

Statement dc:rights

• © Daniel Christopher Bohlmann

Repository record dc:identifier

https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1039

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-2040