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Post-Truth and Political Discourse

  • Book
  • © 2019

Overview

Authors:
  1. David Block

    1. ICREA, Departament d'Anglès i Lingüística, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain

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  • Adds a critical discourse analytical perspective to the on-going academic discussion of post-truth
  • Demonstrates that Spanish political communication provides a fertile area of study in the global analysis of post-truth and corrupt discourses
  • Explores different forms of corruption in discourse, including the deliberate concealment of knowledge and the spread of misinformation
  • Extends political discourse and discourse historical analysis into concepts of misrepresentation, misleadingness, bullshit, corrupt discourse and agnotology

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Table of contents (5 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-vii
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  2. Introduction

    • David Block
    Pages 1-17

  3. Post-Truth Ruminations

    • David Block
    Pages 19-66

  4. Political Discourses, Corrupt Discourses

    • David Block
    Pages 67-118

  5. Conclusion

    • David Block
    Pages 119-124

  6. Correction to: Post-Truth and Political Discourse

    • David Block
    Pages C1-C1

  7. Back Matter

    Pages 125-130
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Keywords

About this book

In this book David Block draws on analytical techniques from Critical Discourse Studies to critically investigate truth, truths, the propagation of ignorance and post-truth. Focusing on corrupt discourses and agnotology, he explores the role of anti-intellectualism, emotion and social media in the cultural creation, legitimisation and dissemination of ignorance. While encompassing analysis of discourses on Donald Trump, Brexit, climate change and the Alt-Right, Block furthers our understanding of this global phenomena by providing a revealing analysis of political communications relating to corruption scandals involving the Spanish conservative party. Through an innovative theoretical framework that combines critical discourse and discourse historical approaches with nuanced political analysis, he uncovers the rhetorical means by which esoteric truths and misleading narratives about corruption are created and demonstrates how they become, in their turn, corrupt discourses. This original work offers fresh insights for scholars of Discourse Analysis, Sociolinguistics, Politics, Cultural and Communication Studies, and will also appeal to general readers with an interest in political communication and Spanish politics.

Reviews

“The book appeals to anyone interested in post-truth, power, ideology, Spanish politics and discourse analysis. In a nutshell, deploying post-truth is more than a manipulative strategy by populists and the alt-right to deceive the populace.” (Cun Zhang and Zhengjun Lin, Journal of Language and Politics, Vol. 19 (3), 2020)

“David Block’s book takes a fascinating look at the notions of truth, truths and post-truth. It extends political discourse analysis into concepts of misrepresentation, misleadingness, ‘bullshit’ and the propagation of ignorance. The context of Trump and ‘fake news’ makes this original study very timely. Post-truth is identified as a relatively novel form of  political discourse,  an anything goes discursive practice similar to what Orwell referred to as  doublespeak and constituting what Block identifies as corrupt discourses.  The gloves-off, aggressive style constitutes, according to Block, a new kind of language warfare whose hard-hitting directness is enhanced through its use on social media.  Drawing on Critical Discourse Studies methodology, Block provides an insightful analysis of corrupt discourses from the Spanish political party, Partido Popular. His claim is that  the question of post-truth is indicative of the narrow scope of contemporary official politics and symptomatic of the turbulent times in which we live.” (Marnie Holborow, Dublin City University, Ireland)

Authors and Affiliations

  • ICREA, Departament d'Anglès i Lingüística, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain

    David Block

About the author

David Block is ICREA Research Professor in Sociolinguistics at the University of Lleida, Spain. He has published on a variety of language-related topics, which he examines drawing on scholarship in Marxist political economy and sociology. His books include Social Class in Applied Linguistics (2014) and Political Economy and Sociolinguistics (2018).

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