MOVEMENT WITHOUT MOTION: THE RHETORIC OF CONSERVATIVE COUNTER-CLAIMS TO GLOBAL WARMING THEORY

Many U.S. conservatives view government mandates to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases as a threat to the economy of the developed world. Conservative think tanks have adopted a common rhetoric to instill doubt about proposed mandates in the minds of elected officials, the media, and the public. Using a survey of the websites of 14 conservative think tanks, this thesis analyzes counter-claims to global warming theory to identify rhetorical artifacts that typically characterize conservative responses to issues, and to show how rhetorical theory can help anticipate the nature of such responses. The research identifies unifying speech codes – such as ideographs and commonplaces – that provide the conservative movement’s appeal. The conclusion is that conservative counter-claims to global warming theory are an application of longstanding principles in a new and transformative way; and that the conservative movement is actually a “new social movement” as described by rhetorical theorists.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English

Year dc:date.available

2010

Author dc:creator

• Edwards, William

Contributors dc:contributor

• David Coogan
• James Kinney
• Elizabeth Hodges
• Vickie Connors

• Global Warming
• Conservative
• Counter-Claims
• Rhetoric
• Arts and Humanities
• English Language and Literature

Statement dc:rights

• © The Author

Identifier

https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/50

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-1049