After Gun Violence: Deliberation and Memory in an Age of Political Gridlock (Rhetoric and Democratic Deliberation)

Mass shootings have become the “new normal” in American life. The same can be said for the public debate that follows a shooting: blame is cast, political postures are assumed, but no meaningful policy changes are enacted. In __After Gun Violence__, Craig Rood argues that this cycle is the result of a communication problem. Without advocating for specific policies, Rood examines how Americans talk about gun violence and suggests how we might discuss the issues more productively and move beyond our current, tragic impasse. Exploring the ways advocacy groups, community leaders, politicians, and everyday citizens talk about gun violence, Rood reveals how the gun debate is about far more than just guns. He details the role of public memory in shaping the discourse, showing how memories of the victims of gun violence, the Second Amendment, and race relations influence how gun policy is discussed. In doing so, Rood argues that forgetting and misremembering this history leads interest groups and public officials to entrenched positions and political failure and drives the public further apart. Timely and innovative, __After Gun Violence__ advances our understanding of public discourse in an age of gridlock by illustrating how public deliberation and public memory shape and misshape one another. It is a search to understand why public discourse fails and how we can do better. "Mass shootings have become the "new normal" in American life. The same can be said for the public debate that follows a shooting: blame is cast, political postures are assumed, but no meaningful policy changes are enacted. In After Gun Violence, Craig Rood argues that this cycle is the result of a communication problem. Without advocating for specific policies, Rood examines how Americans talk about gun violence and suggests how we might discuss the issues more productively and move beyond our current, tragic impasse. Exploring the ways advocacy groups, community leaders, politicians, and everyday citizens talk about gun violence, Rood reveals how the gun debate is about far more than just guns. He details the role of public memory in shaping the discourse, showing how memories of the victims of gun violence, the Second Amendment, and race relations influence how gun policy is discussed. In doing so, Rood argues that forgetting and misremembering this history leads interest groups and public officials to entrenched positions and political failure and drives the public further apart. Timely and innovative, After Gun Violence advances our understanding of public discourse in an age of gridlock by illustrating how public deliberation and public memory shape and misshape one another. It is a search to understand why public discourse fails and how we can do better"--Publisher's description

Mass shootings have become the "new normal" in American life.The same can be said for the public debate that follows a shooting:blame is cast, political postures are assumed, but no meaningfulpolicy changes are enacted. In After Gun Violence, CraigRood argues that this cycle is the result of a communicationproblem. Without advocating for specific policies, Rood examineshow Americans talk about gun violence and suggests how we mightdiscuss the issues more productively and move beyond our current,tragic impasse.

Exploring the ways advocacy groups, community leaders,politicians, and everyday citizens talk about gun violence, Roodreveals how the gun debate is about far more than just guns. Hedetails the role of public memory in shaping the discourse, showinghow memories of the victims of gun violence, the Second Amendment,and race relations influence how gun policy is discussed. In doingso, Rood argues that forgetting and misremembering this historyleads interest groups and public officials to entrenched positionsand political failure and drives the public further apart.

Timely and innovative, After Gun Violence advances ourunderstanding of public discourse in an age of gridlock byillustrating how public deliberation and public memory shape andmisshape one another. It is a search to understand why publicdiscourse fails and how we can do better.

"Mass shootings have become the "new normal" in American life. The same can be said for the public debate that follows a shooting: blame is cast, political postures are assumed, but no meaningful policy changes are enacted. In this timely and innovative book, Craig Rood reveals how the gun debate is about far more than just guns. He details the role of public memory in shaping the discourse, showing how memories of the victims of gun violence, the Second Amendment, and race relations influence how gun policy is discussed. Without advocating for specific policies, Rood suggests how we might discuss the issues more productively and move beyond our current, tragic impasse" -- Back cover "A rhetorical study of the American political debate on gun violence and gun policy. Examines the role of public memory in shaping this discourse and its eventual policy outcomes"--Provided by publisher "A rhetorical study of the American political debate on gun violence and gun policy. Examines the role of public memory in shaping this discourse and its eventual policy outcomes"--Résumé de l'éditeur