Impending crisis in Scotland : political discourse in interesting times

Higgins, Michael; Patrona, Marianna, ed. (2018) Impending crisis in Scotland : political discourse in interesting times. In: Crisis Talk in the Media. John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam, pp. 177-201. ISBN 9789027200341 (https://doi.org/10.1075/dapsac.76.09hig)

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Abstract

This chapter looks at the management of political instability across the political and media spheres before and after the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, and prior to the UK’s vote to exit the European Union. Looking first at a selection of political speeches, the chapter finds those politicians opposed to independence construct constitutional change as impending crisis, whereas speeches from a pro-independence position articulate the pursuit of a new political settlement and crisis aversion at an EU and international level. In a media context, the Scottish newspapers, all of which were opposed to independence, emphasise the threat of upheaval, and extend the crisis frame onto coverage of the economy and the National Health Service. Overall, while explicit references to crisis were comparatively across amongst politicians and media, the chapter suggests the tactical use of a “crisis” frame is an important component of political discourse in times of constitutional uncertainty.

ORCID iDs

Higgins, Michael ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5903-952X; Patrona, Marianna
  • Item type:Book Section
    ID code:64248
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    2 February 2018
    Published
    Keywords:national identity, nationalism, Scottish independence referendum 2014, crisis frame, newspaper reports, constitutional uncertainty, political speeches, political leaflets, Political theory, Political Science and International Relations, SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    Subjects:Political Science > Political theory
    Department:Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) > Humanities > Journalism
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:05 Jun 2018 14:05
    Last modified:09 Nov 2023 02:05
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/64248
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