Crines, A, Heppell, T and Hill, M (2016) Enoch Powell’s 'Rivers of Blood' speech: A Rhetorical Political Analysis. British Politics, 11 (1). pp. 72-94. ISSN 1746-918X
Abstract
This article exploits the developing political science literature on rhetorical political analysis (RPA) and applies it to one of the most controversial speeches of the post-war era in British politics. Alongside an analysis of the roots and impact of Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech the article deconstructs Powell’s rhetoric and oratory. In doing so the article moves beyond the traditional modes of analysing the speech, which focus on the reproduction of ‘new racisms’ and that are prevalent within the sociological and social psychology academic literature. By using RPA the article considers the speech through the use of the rhetorical techniques of persuasion (i) appeals to ethos – that is, the persona of the speaker; (ii) pathos – that is, the range of emotions evoked; (iii) or logos – that is, the evidence that supports the arguments underpinning the speech. This type of analysis showcases how and why Powell’s speech made such an impact when just as inflammatory comments had been uttered by other Conservatives before 1968.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016 Macmillan Publishers Ltd. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in British Politics. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Enoch Powell’s ‘rivers of blood’ speech: A rhetorical political analysis, British Politics (2016) 11, 72–94. doi:10.1057/bp.2015.13 is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/i:10.1057/bp.2015.13 |
Keywords: | conservative party; Enoch Powell; race; immigration; political rhetoric; political oratory |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Education, Social Sciences and Law (Leeds) > School of Politics & International Studies (POLIS) (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 16 May 2016 15:37 |
Last Modified: | 17 May 2016 17:49 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/bp.2015.13 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Palgrave Macmillan |
Identification Number: | 10.1057/bp.2015.13 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:99732 |