Islamification vs. Islamophobia: A Message to the Youth in the Occident: Critical & Rhetorical Inquiries

Abstract

Drawing upon the recent theoretical framework of Burkean concept of identification (ID), the current study aims at probing the interaction of content and form in two letters penned by Iran’s Supreme Leader and addressed to the Youth on Jan. and Nov. 2015. To this end, the study seeks (i) to determine a role ID takes in the conveyance of intended assumptions to the targeted readers; and (ii) to observe if the writer’s objectives, i.e. to identify himself with the readers and to realize his politically-religiously-infused creeds, result in success or failure; moreover, (iii) it seeks to determine how he achieved his end to attenuate the impacts of blazing inferno of Islamophobia and anti-Islam sentiments in his addressees. The whole corpus (about 3000 words), in light of van Dijk’s Socio-cognitive approach, is critically perused to seek out contextually-coded expressions. The study tries to set out a manner in which political text/talk could be analyzed rhetorically employing ID concept. It was found that ID as a two-way process is a key component for both parties to identify with. It makes the readers align themselves with the writer and helps the writer to associate with the readers and accomplish his goals.

Critical Discourse Analysis and Rhetorical Tropes in Donald Trump’s First Speech to the UN

“…The major parts of their meaning remain implicit, namely as implied propositions" (p. 596). Thusly, we must be attentive while we read, sift through or inquire into political discourse to explore evidence of persuasive, purposive and eclectic deployment of "words and expressions, or even of contextual, lexico-grammatical, rhetorical tropes and so on" (Kazemian, et al, 2021). Knowing rhetorical devices and CDA strategies along with their respective implications and the way to unpack those implied expressions, and strategies can be very effective for EFL and ESL learner's proficiency in academic registers at various levels; it can develop reading comprehension in EFL and ESL students in academic registers as well.…”

“…Kazemian and Hashemi (2014) proposed an integrated procedure by investigating political discourse through the lenses of two frameworks viz CDA & Rhetoric plus Nominalization in SFL. In another research, Kazemian & Hashemi (2017) have probed ideological assumptions lodged in three speeches by Mr. Obama; the analysis is based on Fairclough's perspectives of ideology and significance of inspecting the grammatical prospects of discourse, Hallidayan Grammatical Metaphor (GM) in SFL and some rhetorical strategies (Kazemian, et al, 2021). In some other veins, Ali and Kazemian (2015) analyzed a speech by Liaquat Ali Khan in light of Van Dijk's socio-cognitive framework to emphasize the key aspects of discourse construction and perception.…”

“…Moreover, Leech (1983) clearly delineates rhetoric as "the effective use of language in its most general sense, how it is applied in everyday conversation and public speaking" (p. 15). So, the purpose of rhetoric is not plainly to accomplish persuasiveness, but rather "to uncover the means of approaching as near such success as the circumstances of each particular case" (Kazemian et al, 2021).…”

“…Reviewing the annals of literature, recent years have witnessed increased attention being given to Rhetoric and political text/talk as follows. A survey of investigations from the perspective of CDA, SFL and rhetoric by Kazemian and Hashemi (2014) and Kazemian et al (2021) was made to perform and explore Barack Obama's 2012 five speeches and Mr. Khamenei's 2 letters to the youth in the Occident. The studies contributed to find out the frequency and functions of Burke's Identification theory, GM, Rhetorical tropes, Passivization, Modality etc.…”

“…Conventional form in rhetoric is the expected process utilized to craft rhetoric. To Kazemian et al (2021), "rhetorical form and content are of equal importance to rhetorical acts. Form is the preliminary thing that the readers encounter a discourse".…”