The prosecution of “others”: presidential rhetoric and the interrelation of framing,legal prosecutions,and the Global War on Terror

ABSTRACT

In examining the Global War on Terror, the effects of presidential rhetoric on the framing of terrorism has been well documented. However, little previous work links terrorism and its status as an “othered” phenomenon to differential legal prosecution in a post-9/11 era. Using the Prosecution Project data set, we compared “othered” individuals, as defined by a Muslim, Arab/Middle Eastern, and/or foreign-born status, to “non-othered” individuals charged with terroristic felonies. Furthermore, we subdivided the dataset into three analytical time blocks: the George W. Bush administration immediately post-9/11, the latter half of the Bush administration, and the Obama administration. For the first and third time blocks, we found that “othered” individuals were prosecuted significantly more frequently than “non-othered” individuals. These findings call into question the effect of presidential rhetoric and the national framing of terrorism on the legal prosecution of “othered” individuals.     

As the word turns: Drama,rhetoric, and press coverage of the Hill‐Thomas hearings

Because of the unique character of the Hill‐Thomas hearings, journalists were left without a stock political plot to render the proceedings in familiar terms. Using narrative and rhetorical analyses, the study examines how newspaper journalists turned to so‐called women's entertainment genres such as soap opera and melodrama to dramatize and ultimately depoliticize the hearings. The study identifies four recurring rhetorical themes—melodrama, eroticization, agon, and privatization—that served to frame Hill's allegations of sexual harassment against Thomas not in terms of social and political debate but in terms of drama.     

Towards an integrated information society policy in South Africa: an overview of political rhetoric and policy initiatives 1994–2000

Abstract

South Africa is considered one of the few developing countries that has fully embraced the concept of information society and has formulated and implemented policy inititives in order to change society accordingly. By 1995 the theme of the information society started to surface regularly in political discourse and policy documents. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and access to ICTs started to have prominence both in policy formulation and implementation. Although there was much talk about a Green Paper/White Paper process on the information society during 1996 and the beginning of 1997, such a policy process never materialised. To date, there is no document defining the government's view of the information society, no policy document outlining an integrated strategy to arrive there and no government department officially responsible for the coordination of policy initiatives. This article sets out to analyse the notion of the information society in South Africa and to analyse the broad evolution of South Africa's information society policy between 1994 and 2000.     

“Here is your mission,now own it!” The rhetoric and practice of local ownership in EU interventions

One of the core principles of EU interventions under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) has been local ownership. While the EU takes pride in fully respecting this principle, the existing research suggests that the implementation has been far from smooth. However, we still know very little how this principle is conceptualised and operationalised, let alone why its implementation has been so difficult. Drawing on document analysis and 27 in-depth interviews, the article makes 3 arguments. First, ownership is increasingly construed in the EU policy rhetoric as a middle ground between imposition and restraint. Second, in practice, ownership is operationalised as an externally driven, top-down endeavour, resulting in the low degree of local participation. Third, in addition to the obstacles normally faced by other peace-builders, the EU’s efforts to implement ownership are constrained by the politics and policy-making of CSDP. The arguments are illustrated in a case study of the European Union Mission on Regional Maritime Capacity Building in the Horn of Africa (EUCAP Nestor).     

Does US presidential rhetoric affect asymmetric political violence?

Although political violence has proven to be difficult for governments to manage, predict or control, previous research on the impact of relevant federal government actions and US presidential rhetoric on terrorist attacks and hate crimes demonstrates that what the US government does matters in ways that are both expected and unexpected. In the US, government counterterrorism strategies changed rapidly in response to the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the US. The Bush administration formed a new executive department, centralised intelligence agencies, invested in tangible counterterrorism measures, implemented two invasions and occupations, and spoke publicly about terrorism on a near-daily basis. Yet much has changed since that research, as the US has since elected a president whose presidential campaign relied upon espousing antagonism towards Muslims, immigrants and other minority groups. Further, President Trump’s administration has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to isolate and suppress Muslims as a strategy to combat Islamist extremism in contrast to previous administrations’ more cooperative approaches. This article considers what existing research tells us about whether and how the different actions of the Trump administration may fuel both Jihadi and far-right extremism.     

Inheritance and Innovation of Ethnic and Folk Culture

The intangible cultural heritage of the ethnic minorities is the cultural treasury of the Chinese nation that has been passed on for generations, which serves as the moral resources and foundation for developing an advanced socialist culture and the internal impetus for the survival and development of the country and the Chinese nation.     

Security Interests and Policy Priorities of China and EU

At present, the connotation of security has expanded from the traditional sense of security to non-traditional one, covering politics, economy, finance, science and technology, culture and many other areas. Economic globalization makes countries more interdependent on each other. In other words, it makes the interests of different countries further intertwine. The advancement of science and technology and the progress of informationization accelerate the exchange and communication among people.     

Challenges to and Changes of Ideas

The past two years have witnessed great fluctuations ininternational oil prices,and diplomatic efforts,both above andunder the table,by major powers around this issue.The currenttension in the war-threatened Iraq has added more uncertainties to thefuture world oil situation.Will the world oil supply and demand change?What impact would this exert on big powers' oil strategy choices,geopolitics as well as world economy?What should China do in such asituation?To find the answers to these questions,at the invitation of theeditor of the Contemporary International Relations,seven experts fromChina Institute of Contemporary International Relations gathered to have adiscussion in early February this year.Naturally,they have differentviews over many issues.Still,we hope our readers would find theirdiscussion interesting.Following is the list of participants.     

CAFIU and My Study of China

Early one morning in 1993 I was working quietly in my office preparing for a lecture. I usually work with my door closed, but on that particular day for no special reason my door was open. Suddenly Ms Du Yan put her head into my office asking for directions. I got up from my desk to     

Objective and Procedure of the Adjustment

In view of all mentioned above,governments of Latin Amercian countries havenow begun to engage themselves in revising their economic policies and adjust-ing the neoliberalist economic model so as to mitigate the increasingly sharper socialcontradictions and create a social environment favourable to sustainable economicdevelopment.     

Clashes and dialogues of civilizations revisited— the case of contemporary East Asia and Europe

This article sets out to inquire whether or not—political desiderata apart—genuine intercultural dialogue is feasible between Europe and East Asia, and if so, in which subject areas this could be done productively. It therefore examines the underlying value patterns which are grounded in religious traditions on both sides. It retraces the consequences which Communist rule had (and continues to have) on religious practice and ethnic identities of affected societies, and reviews the salient inter-ethnic and inter-religious conflicts which surfaced during the past quarter century on both continents. This is done in order to be able to qualify empirically Huntington’s theory on predominantly cultural clashes between civilizations. In conclusion we find a large measure of congruence between normative values of Christianity and Buddhism and between the secularized work ethics of Confucianism and of (Calvinist) Protestantism, so as to permit a meeting of minds. Conflicts were caused by the religious and ethnic suppression by Communist regimes (Soviet Union, China, N. Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia), by other authoritarian regimes (post Communist Serbia and Russia, Myanmar), and by nationalist: chauvinism. Conflicts between cultures (Bosnia, Nagorno Karabach, Abkhazia, Chechnya, Eastern Indonesia, East Timor, Pattani, Mindanao, Tibet, Xinjiang) occured as well as within them (Transnistria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Aceh). Huntington is thus frequently right, but not universally so. Moreover open conflicts on the two continents have rather been limited in extent and mostly took place in peripheral regions. Coexistence with Muslims is difficult both in Europe and in East Asia. But more often than not they appear as victims of aggression (Bosnia, Chechnya, Xinjiang, Pattani, the Cham) rather than as its perpetrators (Northern Cyprus, East Timor, Eastern Indonesia, and Al Quaida linked terrorism in the UK, Spain, Bali and Mindanao). In view of common values and similar problems, dialogue and cooperation should—and are—perfectly possible and potentially productive on a wide range of subjects, starting from conflict management and prevention, confidence building and reconciliation, to grand subjects of managing the consequences of globalization, of global security, of sharing experiences on regional integration, of lessons to be learned from development cooperation, on environmental protection and resource conservation, and on solving common demographic problems. Adapted lecture on “Dialogue of Cultures and Religions within and with East Asia” given at the Afro-Asian Institute, University of Graz (Austria) on 9.10.2007. Note that this article reflects only personal views.

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Travel Notes of Russia and Poland

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Diversity of the World and New Diplomatic Idea of China

Diversity is the basic feature of the world, which is not contradictory to the democratization of international relations and the efforts of the people of various countries in building a harmonious world. In recent years, on the premises of respecting and maintaining diversity of the world, and by conforming to the historical trend of the times, China has     

Bring Into Full Play the Advantage of Sister-city Relationship and Promote Exchanges and Cooperation Between Localities of China and Japan

Since 1980 when Fuzhou and Nagasaki of Japan be-came sister- cityofeach other- the first ofits kind inour province, both sides have had fruitful exchangesand cooperation in economy, trade, culture, educa-tion, environmental protection and tourismetc, andgratifyingresultshavebeenachieved.1. High level exchanges of visit having increasedmutual understanding and underpinned friend-ship. Since 1980 todate, our province and Nagasakiand Okinawa of Japan have sent to each other 860delegations with …     

Review and Prospect of the International Situation

Ⅰ. Main Characteristics of the Global Circumstances in 1997 1997 is one of the key years for the world to take a great leap forward to thenew century. In the heat of the combat between the progressive forces repre-senting the new epochal spirit and the traditional powers, namely the Cold Warmentality, the world has seen in various aspects the most profound and conspicuouschanges, particularly the relations between great powers,ever since the ending ofthe Cold War.     

Development of China''''s West and Major Measures

DeveloprnentonalargescaleoftheWed-ernP8rtofChinaisbeingunfoldedtobetheeromythereandthaadjoiningcentraIPartofthecountry.Thapolicy,asignificantonernadebytheChjnaregOVernrnentaroundtheturnofthecentury,StandsasagontStrategicSteptowardattainingthegnlssaforitsStageIIlofthendernirationdrive.ThaWedernopionafoesidbersmainlytotenadminiStrativeunitsincludingprovinces,amunicipeIityandautonoThusopionsSuchasthaanxi,cansu,oinghai,Ningxia,Xinjiang,Sichuan,Changqing,Yunnan,GuizhouandTi-bet,Withaterri…     

The Basic Principles of China''''s Development of Human Rights and NGOs

WithrecognitionandsupportofboththeChineseandGermangovernmentsaswellastherelevantdepartmentsco-sponsoredbytheEbertFounda-tionandChinaFoundationforHumanRightsDe-velopmentandChineseAssociationforInterna-tionalUnderstandingthe6thSino-GermanSemi-naronHumanRightsopenstodayintheGermancapitalBerlin.Firstofallpleaseallowmeonbe-halfoftheChinesedelegationtoexpressoursin-cerethankstotheGermanhostforinvitingustothisseminarandfortheexcellentpreparationtheyhavemadefortheseminar.HereIwishthesemi-nara…     

New Vigor and Vitality of South-South Cooperation

Due to the fact that the developing countriesare mainly located in the southern hemisphereand the south of the northern hemisphere, thecooperation among them is generally called South-South Cooperation. It is a very important approachfor the developing co…     

Delegation of Union Solidarity and Development Association of Myanmar Visits China

At the invitation of the Chinese Association for International Understanding （CAFIU）, the delegation of the Union Solidarity and Development Association of Myanmar （USDA） headed by H.E. U Maung Par, Member of the Central Executive Committee of the USDA and Vice-Mayor of Rangoon, visited China from March 27 to April 5.