The Symbolic Uses of Politics

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The Symbolic Uses of Politics

• Murray Edelman

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Outline

• Introduction
• Referential and Condensation Symbols
• The Administrative System
• Political Leadership
• Political Settings
• Political Language
• Conclusion

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The most cherished forms of popular
participation in government are largely symbolic
and many of the public programs universally
taught and believed to benefit a mass public in
fact benefit relatively small groups. Murray
Edelman
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Introduction

• Edelmans Symbolic Uses of Politics investigates
  the mechanisms through which politics influences
  what political elites desire.
• He supports this theory by depicting the various
  ways in which the American political elite use
  symbols to distract the masses from really being
  involved in the process.

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Referential Symbols

• Referential symbols are economical ways of
  referring to the objective elements in objects or
  situations the elements identified in the same
  way by different people.
• These symbols help in logical thinking.
• Example Accident statistics or cost figures.

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Condensation Symbols

• Condensation symbols are symbols that evoke
  emotions associated with the situation.
• Most political acts are defined as condensation
  symbols.
• Examples The patriotic feeling of flying an
  American flag or a speech by the President after
  September 11th.

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The Administrative System

• Edelman describes the administrative system as
• a system designed to enforce and implement rules
  and regulations.
• an economical and political instrument used by
  elites to support self-interest.
• a system based on role-taking and mutual
  relationships between politicians, government
  agencies, and elite groups.

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Political Leadership

• Leadership is based on how a person affects large
  groups, rather then personal characteristics of
  the individual.
• Those involved in politics are leaders because
  they have followers and have the ability to
  evoke emotional responses in the mass public.
• Leaders become symbolic to the constituency which
  they serve because they are representative of the
  group.

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Example
Arnold Schwarzenegger is symbolic of the State of
California
http//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/68/Cali
fornia_map_showing_Yolo_County.png
http//www.laist.com/images/238-big-arnold-schwarz
enegger.jpg
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Example
http//ftp.lib.utexas.edu/maps/united_states/usa_b
lank.jpg
http//www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk/image-search/pres
ident-bush.jpg
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Political Settings

• Political settings are part of an artificial
  universe that allow the public to believe they
  are involved in the act.
• These settings are planned by arrangers to meet
  the expectations of the audience.

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Example
Press Conferences
The Supreme Court
http//www.vangorpcpa.com/Supreme20Court20Inside
.jpg
http//www.house.gov/sensenbrenner/CAPApressconfer
ence.jpg
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Political Language

• Language used in politics is what makes politics
  different from other ways of expressing values.
• Language is a necessary catalyst of politics.
• Language allows terms to be used by those in
  leadership capacities to turn a simple world into
  a vehicle for expression a group interest.

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Styles of Language

• Edelman identifies for styles of language that
  deal with authority, persuasion, and
  participation.
• Hortatory
• Legal
• Administrative
• Bargaining

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Assessment

• Strengths
• Uses a variety of theories, sources, and
  examples throughout the entire book.
• Theories were interesting and involved many
  aspects of American life during the 1960s.
• General messages able to cross time and still
  have some relevance to todays political scene.
• Ideas relate to other reviews on American
  politics and public policy.

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Assessment

• Weaknesses
• Age of text.
• Writing style.
• Not all of theories have been able to completely
  span the last 40 years.
• Lack of discussion about women.

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Conclusion

• Overall, very interesting, thought-provoking
  piece depicting American politics and symbolism.
  I would recommend this text to other members of
  this course.

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Sources

• Edelman, M. (1964). The Symbolic Uses of Politcs.
  University of Illinois Press.

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THANK YOU!