Table Of ContentRHETORIC, POLITICS AND SOCIETY
GENERAL EDITORS: A. Finlayson; J. Martin; K. Phillips
THE REINVENTION OF POPULIST
RHETORIC IN THE DIGITAL AGE
Insiders & Outsiders in Democratic Politics
Mark Rolfe
Rhetoric, Politics and Society
Series Editors
Alan Finlayson
University of East Anglia
Norfolk , United Kingdom
James Martin
Goldsmiths, University of London
London , United Kingdom
Kendall Phillips
University of Syracuse, USA
Syracuse , New York , USA
Rhetoric lies at the intersection of a variety of disciplinary approaches
and methods, drawing upon the study of language, history, culture and
philosophy to understand the persuasive aspects of communication in all
its modes: spoken, written, argued, depicted and performed. This series
presents the best international research in rhetoric that develops and
exemplifi es the multifaceted and cross-disciplinary exploration of practices
of persuasion and communication. It seeks to publish texts that openly
explore and expand rhetorical knowledge and enquiry, be it in the form
of historical scholarship, theoretical analysis or contemporary cultural and
political critique. The editors welcome proposals for monographs that
explore contemporary rhetorical forms, rhetorical theories and thinkers,
and rhetorical themes inside and across disciplinary boundaries. For infor-
mal enquiries, questions, as well as submitting proposals, please contact
the editors: Alan Finlayson: a.fi [email protected] James Martin: j.martin@
gold.ac.uk Kendall Phillips: [email protected]
More information about this series at
http://www.springer.com/series/14497
Mark Rolfe
The Reinvention of
Populist Rhetoric in
The Digital Age
Insiders & Outsiders in Democratic Politics
Mark Rolfe
University of New South Wales
Sydney , New South Wales, Australia
Rhetoric, Politics and Society
ISBN 978-981-10-2160-2 ISBN 978-981-10-2161-9 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-2161-9
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016959299
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To Sharon & Alannah
Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration fi nds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no, i t is an ever- fi xed mark
A
CKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Life is not a race and there is no prize for fi rst place. But there must always
be a fi rst place for the loved ones who help you through it and through the
book that pops up along the way. That spot goes to Sharon Chaproniere
and Alannah Rolfe for unconditional love and support. Conal Condren
has been an invaluable friend, sounding board, and luncheon companion
who read drafts of the manuscript and suffered the early inchoate stages.
Other friendly readers who deserve thanks are Sarah Graham and James
Pamment. My love and indebtedness also go to Mum, Dad, Tina, Vi and
Carol as well as to Wayne for his incredible work and to Nic Christensen
for his keen support. Vital assistance was provided by my redoubtable
research assistant Jazz. Thanks one and all.
vii
C
ONTENTS
1 Introduction 1
2 Insiders, Outsiders, Populism, and Rhetoric 1 5
3 Obama: The Narrative of a Man of the People for New
Politics 49
4 Obama and Old Fashioned Anti-politics Rhetoric 7 7
5 Assange: The Narrative of the Digital Robin Hood
Against the Elites 1 09
6 Hacker: Creating the Narrative of the Digital Robin
Hood 135
7 Globalising the Narrative of Peoples Uprisings on
the Web 1 65
ix
x CONTENTS
8 Conclusion: The Populist Bonanza of the 2016 Election 195
Bibliography 2 23
Index 2 49
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
THE OUTSIDER IS THE NEW OLD BLACK
The two men grew on different sides of the globe, yet they share many
attributes. Both were raised by strong women forced to cope as single
parents. Both had caring stepfathers who fi lled the void left by absent
fathers. Both emerged from the chinks of society which few knew and
many condemned. Both were outsiders enraged by injustices and engaged
by politics. Both proclaimed new political eras for peoples empowered by
the internet. Both attracted people with charm and cool intellect and both
elicited death threats and accusations of anti-Americanism. Neither man
left other people indifferent.
Yet one became the founder of Wikileaks and the other became the
president of the United States. Julian Assange and Barack Obama share
so much but differ so markedly in their political destinations and in their
conclusions about the internet as a medium of freedom. One sees partici-
pation in government as the means to do good for people, while the other
sees it as the means for infl icting injustices upon people. One sees politi-
cal power as something to be fought by a populace made stronger by the
internet, while the other sees political power as something to be gained on
behalf of a people made stronger by the internet.
Therefore, these two men present us with major paradoxes about the
internet. Their political careers represent the tensions between ideal and
practical politics that are inherent to democracy. Yet both men claimed the
© The Author(s) 2016 1
M. Rolfe, The Reinvention of Populist Rhetoric in the Digital Age,
DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-2161-9_1
Description:This highly original work considers the rhetoric of political actors and commentators who identify digital media as the means to a new era of politics and democracy. Placing this rhetoric in a historical and intellectual context, it provides a compelling explanation of the reinvention and thematic r
