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Trump's electoral speeches and his appeal to the American white working class.

Authors :
Lamont, Michèle
Park, Bo Yun
Ayala‐Hurtado, Elena
Source :
British Journal of Sociology; Nov2017 Supplement S1, Vol. 68, pS153-S180, 28p
Publication Year :
2017

Abstract

This paper contributes to the study of social change by considering boundary work as a dimension of cultural change. Drawing on the computer-assisted qualitative analysis of 73 formal speeches made by Donald Trump during the 2016 electoral campaign, we argue that his political rhetoric, which led to his presidential victory, addressed the white working class's concern with their declining position in the national pecking order. He addressed this group's concern by raising their moral status, that is, by (1) emphatically describing them as hard-working Americans who are victims of globalization; (2) voicing their concerns about 'people above' (professionals, the rich, and politicians); (3) drawing strong moral boundaries toward undocumented immigrants, refugees, and Muslims; (4) presenting African Americans and (legal) Hispanic Americans as workers who also deserve jobs; (5) stressing the role of working-class men as protectors of women and LGBTQ people. This particular case study of the role of boundary work in political rhetoric provides a novel, distinctively sociological approach for capturing dynamics of social change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00071315
Volume :
68
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
British Journal of Sociology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
126113877
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-4446.12315