A Critical Discourse Study of the Proximization of Threat in the 2018 U.S. National Defense Strategy

Abstract

Using Cap's (2013a) Proximization Theory, the present study conducts a qualitativequantitative analysis of the 2018 U.S. National Defense Strategy (NDS) to investigate how the closeness of threat is manifested in the document, as well as the functions of spatial proximization, temporal proximization and axiological proximization. Some results of the qualitative analysis indicate that the three types of proximization are employed in the 2018 NDS to highlight the proximity of the threats posed by U.S. competitors and adversaries, emphasize the readiness, strength and ability of the U.S. and its allies and partners to face threats, and arouse fears of the possible adverse future consequences of these threats so as to guarantee approval of the policies presented in the document to confront all possible threats. Some of the results of the quantitative analysis show that the most frequently occurring type of proximization is spatial proximization followed by temporal proximization then axiological proximization.