Political Debasement

This edited book is an innovative collection of studies-pioneering scholarship systematically exploring the various features ofdebasementlanguage used by political leaders in theirspeeches, statements, and remarks during parliamentaryand other officialas well asunofficial, private activities. The book examines in particular theforms, functions, and effects of political debasement in Western and non-Western countries, including Spain,Malaysia, the UK, Japan, China, India,Montenegro, Greece, Poland, and Israel.It addresses the growing interest in recent years in issues related to the increase of debasement in the public sphere. These include high-echelon politicians'invectiveand vulgarity toward their colleagues in houses of parliament; their abusive and cynical language toward sections of the public, including women and minorities; and their crude sarcasm and irony expressed toward media representatives. Thebook focuses on those instances where political leadersatthe very highest-levelemploydebasement discourse; it identifies the specific language they use in different political cultures and under different situations;the reasons forusing this type of language;andits consequences. The book brings together a team of distinguishedpolitical scientists, communication and linguistics researchers, and social and political psychologists, with expert backgrounds and experience in understanding the reciprocal interaction between language and politics, in this case: debasement.They discuss and provide a number ofnovel insights of theoretical and practical importance regarding debasing discourse, as well as potential avenues for future research on the nature and effect of this type of language.