Toward a Definition of Political Oratory – Authoritarian and Democratic Political Communication Cover Image

Ка дефиницији политичког беседништва – ауторитарно и демократско политичко комуницирање
Toward a Definition of Political Oratory – Authoritarian and Democratic Political Communication

Author(s): Marko M. Đorđević
Subject(s): Communication studies, Recent History (1900 till today), Government/Political systems, Politics and communication
Published by: Институт за политичке студије
Keywords: political oratory; political speech; political communication; political speakers; rhetoric; oratory; political ideas; skill of persuasion; listeners; mass audience;

Summary/Abstract: This paper explores the political (deliberative) oratory, placing an emphasis on general rhetorical and stylistic features of recent political rhetoric in Serbia since 1988. to 2003. Looking at it as one of the most significant communication instruments of political struggle, an instrument for the launching of political ideas, but also an instrument of political manipulation, we started defining the concept and functions of political rhetoric and discuss the specifics of its genre and modality. On the basis of a theoretic model on the existence of dominant communication paradigms, the authoritarian, the democratic and the liberal one, general and specific rhetorical and stylistic traits in the speeches of most prominent participants of the then political life. The manners in which spoken word, via mass media, both directly and indirectly, influenced the auditorium and shaped the public opinion were particularly observed. The stress was on political oratory as „a skill of persuasion“, as well as on the relationship speaker –speech – the media- listeners.

  • Issue Year: 2012
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 377-400
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Serbian