Indictments, Myths, and Citizen Mobilization in Argentina: A Discourse Analysis

Abstract

Most accounts of the turmoil that shook Argentina in 2001–2 focused on the harmful impact of the financial environment, imprudent policymaking, and institutional weaknesses. These explanations paid little attention to the cultural frames and cognitive patterns that underlie the connection between civil society and political society. Based on a discourse analysis of Internet forums and presidential speeches, this article argues that the Argentine crisis cannot be fully grasped without considering the link between collective behavior and ingrained conceptions of national identity. The analysis finds that national myths and definitional questions of national purpose are key factors in the way citizens behave in the context of an economic and political crisis.

Inviting the Populists to the Party: Populist Appeals in Presidential Primaries

“…While some pointed to earlier movements as forerunners (Gervais & Morris 2018;Husted 2015), the pervading notion was that some new phenomenon had suddenly materialized. Of course, populism was hardly new to American politics (Kazin 1995) or political science (e.g., Armony & Armony 2005;Canovan 1999;Hawkins, Kaltwasser, & Andreadis 2018;Laclua 2005;Weyland 1999). What was new was its afforded prominence in the discussion among Americanists (Hawkins & Littvay 2019).…”

Explaining presidential instability in Latin America: evidence from Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador

“…President De la R ua, on the other hand, assumed rule while Argentina was on the brink of economic collapse. The Radical Party failed to fight stagnation or provide a remedy for the social costs of neoliberalism, while the government adopted austerity measures owing to the demands of the IMF and the liquidity crisis (Armony and Armony, 2005).…”