Title
Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers! : Demonization and the End of Civil Debate in American Politics / John Buell, Tom De Luca.
ISBN
9780814786468
Published
New York, NY : : New York University Press, [2005]
Copyright
©2005
Language
English
Language Note
In English.
Description
1 online resource
Other Standard Identifiers
10.18574/nyu/9780814786468.001.0001 doi
Call Number
JA85.2.U6
Dewey Decimal Classification
306.2/0973
Summary
The level of vitriol in American politics has been rising with no end in sight. Terms like "evildoer," "war on terror," and "axis of evil" have become commonplace in our discussion of international politics. What ever happened to civil debate? Where has all this moralizing come from? And what harm has this new level of attack caused to democracy in America?In this compelling and cogent account, Tom De Luca and John Buell chart the rise of what they rightly label as the "demonization"of American politics, showing how political campaigns often neglect debates over policy in favor of fights over the private character and personal lives of politicians. Political interests are still served by this style of politics, but democracy, the authors contend, is the loser. Covering everything from the Clinton impeachment to the war on terrorism to the 2004 presidential campaign, the authors show the distinctly American qualities of demonization and how their frequency and intensity has grown in the last four decades.Suggesting that demonization is not inevitable or irreversible, this important book offers ways out of the political mudpit and back to a more civilized debate where democracy and freedom of speech can coexist in a productive, idea-rich environment.
Access Note
Access limited to authorized users.
System Details Note
Mode of access: Internet via World Wide Web.
Digital File Characteristics
text file PDF
Source of Description
Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 18. Sep 2023)
Available in Other Form
print 9780814719749
Frontmatter
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
PART I: Demonization in America
1. Demonization American-Style
2. The Politics of Moral Personae
3. America's Moral Paradox
4. The Deep Divide and the Most Vulnerable
PART II: Demonization and Wars
5. Seeking the Enemy
6. Terror, Evil, and the New Cold War
7. Terror Wars and Culture Wars
8. Preserve the Environment! Become an Environmental Sport
Conclusion
Notes
Index
About the Authors
