Security and liberty in post‐9/11 us counterterrorism : a comparative analysis of presidential rhetoric

Ristevska, Teodora Tea (avtor), Prezelj, Iztok (avtor)

The article examines the rhetorical dimensions of US counterterrorism policy post‐9/11 through a comparative analysis of four key speeches by Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden. Using Van Gorp’s (2007) hermeneutic framing analysis, the study explores how each administration balanced (or did not) the demands of national security and civil liberties across different political and historical contexts. The findings show these US presidents employed framing devices like metaphors, examples, catchphrases, and depictions to construct a narrative of existential threat, fear, and urgency, securing public support for expansive government action. While Bush and Trump framed terrorism as an existential threat to justify aggressive measures, Obama and Biden adopted more moderate rhetoric, balancing security with civil liberties. The study identifies enduring patterns in the way framing devices are adapted across administrations and reveals how metaphors continue to be effective despite changing rhetorical strategies. These findings demonstrate the bidirectional role of framing devices: They can either drive securitisation, as evident in the rhetoric of Bush and Trump, or promote desecuritisation and a more balanced approach, as seen with Obama and Biden.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: protiterorizem, državljanske svoboščine, politična retorika, javno mnenje, varnostna politika, terorizem
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Geografsko pokritje: Zdraužene države Amerike
• Organizacija: FDV - Fakulteta za družbene vede
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2025
• Št. strani: Str. 1-23
• Številčenje: art. no. ǂ9424, Vol. 13
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-178418
• UDK: 327
• ISSN pri članku: 2183-2463
• DOI: 10.17645/pag.9424
• COBISS.SI-ID: 239983363
• Datum objave v RUL: 27.01.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Politics and governance
• Založnik: Cogitatio Press
• ISSN: 2183-2463
• COBISS.SI-ID: 520632601

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: counterterterorism, civil liberties, political rhetoric, public opinion, security policy, terrorism narrative

Projekti

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P5-0206
• Naslov: Obramboslovje