Rhetoric and audience reception: An analysis of Theresa May’s vision of Britain and Britishness after Brexit

Abstract

This article demonstrates the value of rhetorical audience studies for analysing constructions of ‘the nation’ and national identity. A key strength of this approach is its recognition of the interplay between the rhetorical situation, the text of the speech, and the audience’s responses to that rhetoric. Using the historical method for investigating rhetoric and its reception, the article examines Theresa May’s efforts to bring the nation together after the 2016 referendum and to offer an inspiring vision of post-Brexit Britain. A textual analysis shows that her rhetoric of Britishness was constructed around an imagined audience of Leave voters, and thus excluded Remainers from her conceptions of Britain and ‘the British people’. The audience reception study supports this finding, as it reveals two competing myths of ‘the nation’ which in turn constituted rival subject positions. In short, May’s epideictic failed to unite the country behind her conception of a strong, cohesive Global Britain.

Not now! Construction of the “now-is-not-the-time” discourse of Theresa May and Boris Johnson vis-à-vis the second Scottish independence referendum

“…To provide a few examples thereof, May was accused of behaving in a “sickening” McKenna ( 2019 ) and “high-handed arrogant way that is completely dismissive of Scotland” (Brooks 2019 ) and for “overlooking the UK’s multi-national character” (Byrne et al 2021 , p. 712; cf. Atkins 2021 , p. 11). Likewise, Johnson, to many in Scotland, embodied “the figurehead of the UK government’s plans to over-ride Holyrood’s devolution powers post-Brexit, and, underlying that all, showing an entitled disregard for their preferences” (Carrell 2020 ; similarly also Maddox 2020 ), with his approach being denounced as “unacceptable” by Sturgeon (McCurdy 2022 ).…”

KEBIASAAN MENONTON VLOG DIARI DAN KORELASI TERHADAP KETERAMPILAN RETORIKA MAHASISWA (Habits of Watching Vlog Diary and the Correlation to the College Student’s Rhetoric Skills)

“…Untuk itu, seseorang harus dapat mengembangkan keterampilan retorikanya sebaik mungkin. Dengan demikian, retorika dapat digunakan untuk mengungkapkan suatu hal atau pesan agar diterima oleh pendengar (Atkins, 2022).…”

“…Mahasiswa perlu meningkatkan keterampilan retorikanya, agar sesuatu yang disampaikannya dapat diterima oleh pendengar (Atkins, 2022). Retorika mahasiswa perlu disesuaikan dengan kemajuan teknologi.…”

Britain, Britishness, and exceptionalism within the rhetoric of David Cameron

“…The academic literature on Britishness is united by an acknowledgment of the pervasive role of exceptionalism. This scholarship finds that exceptionalism "lurks" deep in the depths of the British national psyche (Marquand, 2007, p.16) underpinning competing visions of the nation and national story voiced by its political leaders (see Finlayson, 2018;Atkins, 2016;Atkins, 2021). Of particular relevance is the work of Finlayson (2018) and Atkins (2016).…”