Strategic Silence

Abstract

Scholars in communication and other fields have studied silence in a variety of contexts. Many of these studies consider groups and individuals who have been marginalized or who are otherwise unable to advocate their own cause. Strategic silence, in contrast, is the intentional choice of an empowered actor to remain silent in order to advance a strategic interest. The concept of strategic silence applies across business, politics, and other fields.

Who is the Audience? What the Academic Field of Speech Communication Tells Us About Interpreting Open-Source Messages

“…Was it necessary for the speaker to create this rhetorical act? The International Encyclopedia of Strategic Communication (Harlow, 2018) defines strategic silence as "the choice of an empowered actor who remains silent in an attempt to advance a strategic interest. " An empowered actor is one who would normally be expected to have something to say on a subject, and silence "is relative to what might be said" (Brummett, 1980).…”