( Mis ) leading Britain’s conversation: The cultivation of consent on the Nigel Farage radio phone-in show

Abstract

In this article, I adopt the socio-cognitive approach to critical discourse analysis (CDA) to interpret the discourse found on the popular UK radio phone-in programme the Nigel Farage Show. Evidence emerged of positive self-presentation and negative other representation through denials of prejudice, discursive de-racialisation and the use of war metaphors and lexis referencing legality, criminality and the collective. However, the control over this forum was its defining feature which appeared to propagate an anti-immigration stance and normalise the aforementioned lexis. This control was evident through the selection and placement of contributors, the influence of cognitively central participants, the foregrounding of Trump’s rhetoric, topic selection, protection offered to in-group members and topicalisation which supported the in-group and served to vilify the views and identity of the out-group. All of which led to the creation of a closed community devoid of alternatives.

Keywords

Brexit control critical discourse analysis Nigel Farage prejudice social influence socio-cognitive approach Trump

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