The Politics of Language

The Politics of Language argues that language is inherently political and that political and social identity, affect, and shared practices play as important a role as information in communication. This new view of language has dramatic consequences for free speech, democracy, and a range of other areas in which speech plays a central role. The authors use their framework to show that speech is inevitably political because all communication is imbued with the resonances of particular ideologies and their normative perspectives on reality.

Format: Hardback
Length: 520 pages
Publication date: 02 January 2024
Publisher: Princeton University Press

In their groundbreaking work, "The Politics of Language," David Beaver and Jason Stanley present a radical new perspective on the theory of meaning, offering a comprehensive account of communication that emphasizes the political and social dimensions of language alongside the traditional focus on information. This innovative view of language has far-reaching implications for free speech, democracy, and a wide range of other domains where speech plays a central role.

Drawing on a diverse range of disciplines, the authors argue that the primary function of speech is to attune individuals to a shared reality, emotion, or identity. By reconceptualizing the core principles of pragmatics and semantics, Beaver and Stanley apply their framework to a diverse range of phenomena that challenge conventional understandings in linguistics and philosophy of language. From the use of dog whistles for covert persuasion to the formation of echo chambers and the propagation of genocidal speech, they demonstrate how speech is inherently political due to the imbued resonances of particular ideologies and their normative perspectives on reality.

In a time when democracy faces threats, authoritarianism is on the rise, and the demand for diversity and equality is growing, "The Politics of Language" provides a powerful new vision of the language of politics, ideology, and protest. The authors offer a comprehensive analysis of how language shapes our understanding of the world, influences our political beliefs and actions, and facilitates or hinders social change. Through their insightful and thought-provoking work, Beaver and Stanley challenge us to reevaluate our assumptions about language and its role in shaping our societies.

Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691181981