Media and Communication Ph.D. Dissertations

A Rhetorical Examination and Critique of Hezbollah, the Party of God

Date of Award

2006

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Department

Communication Studies

First Advisor

Alberto Gonzalez (Advisor)

Abstract

Rhetorical examination and critique of Hezbollah – the Party of God is an analysis and interpretation, of Hezbollah as a social movement whose discourse is rooted in Arabic and Islamic discourse traditions. Hezbollah is a poorly understood movement. It is portrayed as a one-dimensional terrorist group. Hezbollah members are portrayed as plane hijackers, kidnappers and suicide bombers. But the Party of God has a rhetorical life – even the rhetorical construction of the martyr is worth examination from a culturalperspective. The following study examines how persuasive discourse constructs Hezbollah identity and purpose. Further, this study examines how the political and military elements in the context of Lebanese modernism are reflected in movement’s discourse.

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