Rhetorics of Democracy in the Americas (Rhetoric and Democratic Deliberation)

Democracy is venerated in US political culture, in part because it is our democracy. As a result, we assume that the government and institutions of the United States represent the true and right form of democracy, needed by all. This volume challenges this commonplace belief by putting US politics in the context of the Americas more broadly. Seeking to cultivate conversations among and between the hemispheres, this collection examines local political rhetorics across the Americas. The contributors―scholars of communication from both North and South America―recognize democratic ideals as irreducible to a single national perspective and reflect on the ways social minorities in the Western Hemisphere engage in unique political discourses. Essays consider current rhetorics in the United States on American exceptionalism, immigration, citizenship, and land rights alongside current cultural and political events in Latin America, such as corruption in Guatemala, women’s activism in Ciudad Juárez, representation in Venezuela, and media bias in Brazil. Through a survey of these rhetorics, this volume provides a broad analysis of democracy. It highlights institutional and cultural differences in the Americas and presents a hemispheric democracy that is both more pluralistic and more agonistic than what is believed about the system in the United States. In addition to the editors, the contributors include José Cortez, Linsay M. Cramer, Pamela Flores, Alberto González, Amy N. Heuman, Christa J. Olson, Carlos Piovezani, Clara Eugenia Rojas Blanco, Abraham Romney, René Agustín de los Santos, and Alejandra Vitale.

Democracy is venerated in US political culture, in part becauseit is our democracy. As a result, we assume that thegovernment and institutions of the United States represent the trueand right form of democracy, needed by all. This volume challengesthis commonplace belief by putting US politics in the context ofthe Americas more broadly.

Seeking to cultivate conversations among and between thehemispheres, this collection examines local political rhetoricsacross the Americas. The contributors-scholars of communicationfrom both North and South America-recognize democratic ideals asirreducible to a single national perspective and reflect on theways social minorities in the Western Hemisphere engage in uniquepolitical discourses. Essays consider current rhetorics in theUnited States on American exceptionalism, immigration, citizenship,and land rights alongside current cultural and political events inLatin America, such as corruption in Guatemala, women's activism inCiudad Juárez, representation in Venezuela, and media bias inBrazil. Through a survey of these rhetorics, this volume provides abroad analysis of democracy. It highlights institutional andcultural differences in the Americas and presents a hemisphericdemocracy that is both more pluralistic and more agonistic thanwhat is believed about the system in the United States.

In addition to the editors, the contributors include JoséCortez, Linsay M. Cramer, Pamela Flores, Alberto González, Amy N.Heuman, Christa J. Olson, Carlos Piovezani, Clara Eugenia RojasBlanco, Abraham Romney, René Agustín de los Santos, and AlejandraVitale.

Democracy is venerated in US political culture, in part because it is our democracy. As a result, we assume that the government and institutions of the United States represent the true and right form of democracy, needed by all. This volume challenges this commonplace belief by putting US politics in the context of the Americas more broadly. Seeking to cultivate conversations among and between the hemispheres, this collection examines local political rhetorics across the Americas. The contributorsscholars of communication from both North and South Americarecognize democratic ideals as irreducible to a single national perspective and reflect on the ways social minorities in the Western Hemisphere engage in unique political discourses. The essays consider current rhetorics in the United States on American exceptionalism, immigration, citizenship, and land rights alongside current cultural and political events in Latin America, such as corruption in Guatemala, womens activism in Ciudad Jurez, representation in Venezuela, and media bias in Brazil. Through a survey of these rhetorics, this volume provides a broad analysis of democracy. It highlights institutional and cultural differences in the Americas and presents a hemispheric democracy that is both more pluralistic and more agonistic than what is believed about the system in the United States. In addition to the editors, the contributors include Jos Cortez, Linsay M. Cramer, Pamela Flores, Alberto Gonzlez, Amy N. Heuman, Christa J. Olson, Carlos Piovezani, Clara Eugenia Rojas Blanco, Abraham Romney, Ren Agustn de los Santos, and Alejandra Vitale. A collection of essays examining the rhetorics that underlie democratic politics in Latin America and the United States.