Argumentative Analysis of the Electoral Debates in the Campaign 28-A: the Construction of the Enemy

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2020-1443

Keywords:

political discourse; argumentation; debate; linguistic (im)politeness

Abstract

Introduction: Verbal aggressiveness and attack strategy towards the rival have been two of the main characteristics of political speeches during the April 2019 Spanish national election campaign. Methodology: This paper analyses the two only TV debates, which were held on April 22 (RTVE) and April 23 (Atresmedia), using a linguistic and pragmatic approach. The objective is to identify, through discourse analysis, the argumentative strategies that the four leaders of the parties invited to use to define and construct the enemy. Results and conclusions: Analysis of their speeches shows that Pedro Sánchez (PSOE), Pablo Casado (PP), Albert Rivera (Ciudadanos) and Pablo Iglesias (Unidas Podemos) create frames and develop their arguments to reinforce the image of their adversaries as enemies of Spain. The four candidates use numerous linguistic and rhetorical resources and pragmatic mechanisms of linguistic (im)politeness.

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Author Biographies

Miljana Micovic, Superior Next Education Center

Doctor from the University of Barcelona in the field of political communication and discourse. She is Head of Studies and professor at the Superior Next Education Center in Madrid (Spain). She worked for seven years as an Academic Coordinator and professor of Next International Business School in Madrid. She has been an invited professor of debate and political discourse in numerous masters in Spain. She is a member of the Board of Directors of ACOP (Association of Political Communication), is part of the EDAP research group (Academic and Professional Speech Studies) as a professional collaborating member. Her line of research is focused on the analysis of political discourse, in general, and on electoral debates, in particular.

Adrià Alsina Leal, Universidad de Vic. Universidad Central de Cataluña

Ph.D. in Political Communication from the Central University of Catalonia (UVic - UCC) and associate professor of International Journalism and Global Communication Strategies at this university. He has also taught at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and La Sorbonne in Paris. He began his professional career as a journalist for several media in Barcelona, including the public television network TV3. He has worked as a correspondent in Barcelona for media such as Postimees of Estonia. He has been a communication consultant for the IFC-World Bank Group, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He was head of communication of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) between 2016 and 2018. His H is 0 (December 2019).

Inmaculada Anaya Revuelta, University of Vigo

Doctor and Extraordinary Award from the Complutense University of Madrid. Full Professor of Spanish Language at the University of Vigo since 1999. Since November 2015, Vice Dean of Academic Organization. She directed Evágora, a communication consultancy for companies and institutions. In 2004, she was named Partner of the Galicia Businessmen's Circle (CFV). She directed and coordinated the Master's Degree in Language and Communication in business. She teaches in the Department of Spanish Language in different degrees. She has published, in different high impact journals, studies focused on discourse analysis and on various aspects of the language. Develops extensive work in training for companies and institutions as an expert in communication. In the last 10 years, she has taught courses and workshops, among others, in the following organizations: Institute of Business Communication (ICE by its acronym in Spanish); P&A Consultancy and Training S. L; Vigo Business School; ALDESA (Madrid); FENOSA (Bilbao), TSOLAR (Madrid), etc. She participates as a researcher in the project "Televised electoral debates in Spain: models, process, diagnosis and response", financed by the Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness. Her Index H is 4 (December 2019).

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Published

2020-04-28

How to Cite

Micovic, M. ., Alsina Leal, A. ., & Anaya Revuelta, I. . (2020). Argumentative Analysis of the Electoral Debates in the Campaign 28-A: the Construction of the Enemy. Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, (76), 189–207. https://doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2020-1443

Issue

No. 76 (2020)

Section

Miscellaneous
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