Item Details

title

THE IMPORTANCE OF CELEBRITIES IN POLITICAL DECISION MAKING: A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BARACK OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

author

Ridley, Sean

abstract

The role of celebrity rhetoric serves as an important area to study campaign messages, how they transfer to the public, and the potential for civic engagement. By analyzing Barack Obama’s calls for a new political framework, through the use of structural criticism; I argue that he created the impetus for a renewed valuation of citizenship. Using the work of Dana Cloud, I argue that such a critique is successful because it forces citizens to question how they want to exist politically, as well as what they want out of political decisionmaking. As examples, this thesis explores the rhetorical aspects of Oprah Winfrey and Will.i.am’s endorsements and their efforts to impact the audience’s reception toward Obama’s politics. I conclude that the celebrities not only made the public more receptive to Obama’s campaign, but also more willing to embrace his calls for a renewed democratic ethos.

subject

celebrity

barack obama

oprah winfrey

will.i.am

rhetoric

dana cloud

ethos

communication

contributor

Beasley von Burg, Alessandra (committee chair)

Coates, David (committee member)

Louden, Allan (committee member)

date

2010-05-07T20:02:39Z (accessioned)

2010-06-18T18:57:27Z (accessioned)

2010-05-07T20:02:39Z (available)

2010-06-18T18:57:27Z (available)

2010-05-07T20:02:39Z (issued)

degree

Communication (discipline)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/14694 (uri)

language

en_US (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

rights

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide. (accessRights)

type

Thesis