Revealing and Reframing Apocalyptic Tragedy in Global Warming Discourse

被引:89
作者
Foust, Christina R. [1 ]
Murphy, William O'Shannon [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Denver, Dept Human Commun Studies, Denver, CO 80208 USA
来源
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION-A JOURNAL OF NATURE AND CULTURE | 2009年 / 3卷 / 02期
关键词
Global Warming; Climate Change; Apocalyptic Rhetoric; Frame Analysis; Agency; ANTHROPOGENIC CLIMATE-CHANGE; NEWSPAPER COVERAGE; UNITED-STATES; NEWS;
D O I
10.1080/17524030902916624
中图分类号
G2 [信息与知识传播];
学科分类号
05 ; 0503 ;
摘要
Through a critical rhetorical analysis of US elite and popular press coverage of global warming, this essay explores the structuring presence and implications of apocalyptic framing. We found that the hallmarks of apocalyptic rhetoric-a linear temporality emphasizing a catastrophic end-point that is more or less outside the purview of human agency-permeate selected discourse. Two variants of the apocalyptic frame impact human agency: tragic apocalypse constitutes global warming as a matter of cosmic Fate; and comic apocalypse suggests that mistaken humans have a capacity to influence (within limits) the global warming narrative's end. We conclude with suggestions for structuring climate change communication in ways that enable more members of the public to become active advocates for, and participants in, mitigating global warming.
引用
收藏
页码:151 / 167
页数:17
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