Considering the purpose of “An alternative sense-making collective”: a rhetorical analysis of the Intellectual Dark Web
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Gabriel Parks [1]
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[1] University of North Carolina-Greensboro
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- Localización: Southern communication journal, ISSN 1041-794X, Vol. 85, nº 3, 2020, págs. 178-190
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
This essay examines the role of The Intellectual Dark Web (IDW) in current political discourse. Situated within the context of political polarization and declining institutional trust in the United States, this essay incorporates theories from political philosopher Antonio Gramsci and rhetorical critic Kenneth Burke to frame the IDW as central to an ongoing “Battle of Ideas.” The examination of five prominent IDW figures reveals their rhetorical exploits as indicative of Gramsci’s definitions of traditional and “Organic” intellectuals who build identification with their audiences by branding themselves as “reasonable thinkers” and reinforcing dominant narratives of polarization. From a critical-rhetorical perspective, the paper argues that the IDW is a fragmented movement with subversive potential, maintaining hegemony and scattering opportunities for audience empowerment.
