The challenges of populism: an analysis of Tea Party structuring narratives
Date
2011
Authors
Coughlin, Alex T., author
Sprain, Leah, advisor
Dickinson, Greg, committee member
Saunders, Kyle, committee member
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Abstract
The lead up to the 2010 midterm elections saw the rise of a new face in American domestic politics: the Tea Party. Riding a wave of conservative dissent following 2009's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Tea Party exploded onto the political scene and helped to Republicans to score 680 legislative seats. This study compared the structuring narratives of the Tea Party to uncover the way the movement identifies its political aims, goals and actors. More specifically, this essay analyzed the narratives of the Tea Party on teaparty.org and teapartypatriots.org as well as in editorials and op-ed pieces in the New York Times and Washington Times from April 15 through November 15, 2010. Furthermore, because of frequent claims of the Tea Party's populist nature, this project further examined the movement's use of populist rhetoric. The goal of this project was to further understand the competing understandings of the Tea Party and the mode in which the movement used themes of populist rhetoric. This study incorporated theories of narrative analysis to determine common methods of the Tea Party's structuring of protagonists, antagonists, plot, climax, and other important identifying factors. These characteristics were then compared to the rhetorical tactics and themes of past American populist movements. The findings indicated that the Tea Party was identified with a concise structuring narrative in the Washington Times and on teaparty.org and teapartypatriots.org , but this identity was questioned and problematized by the New York Times. The author further suggests the Tea Party's use of populist rhetoric was effective, but will pose problems in the future as questions of authenticity will surround populist rhetorical themes and their campaign fundraising. The author's hope is that studying the rhetorical tactics of the Tea Party will add to the discussion of American sociopolitical movements and the way they communicate.
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Subject
populist
narrative
populism
rhetoric
social movement
Tea Party