Metaphors and political arguments in environmental debates: “Our house is still on fire”

The paper investigates the argumentative function of metaphors in political debates about climate change. On the one hand, the metaphorical depiction of political arguments promotes a particular viewpoint on the environmental crisis (e.g., climate change perceived as the ENEMY of humanity). Such figurative depictions may be necessary to communicate about this complex issue (Van der Hel, et al. 2018). On the other hand, this metaphorical depiction provides enough ground for opponents to highlight the inaccuracy of the figurative mapping (e.g., humanity as the ENEMY of the planet and climate change as a WEAPON). The main research question addressed in this paper is: how are metaphor source domains exploited and questioned to convey different environmental arguments? To address this question, I focus on metaphorical occurrences related to the scenario THE EARTH AS A HOUSE (ON FIRE). Indeed, this scenario can be observed in a plurality of texts produced by different political leaders (from left-wing to right-wing politicians) and by different climate change activists. I study the wide range of arguments promoted by these different uses of the scenario in the texts (e.g., Emmanuel Macron’s arguments opposed to Greta Thunberg’s). Drawing on Critical Metaphor Analysis (Charteris-Black 2011) and metaphor scenarios (Musolff 2016), this paper shows how environmental debates may revolve around the political use and mis-use of a metaphor

“We are in the same storm, not in the same boat”: Proverbial wisdom in environmental debates

The chapter proposes to investigate the implications of the proverbial phrase to be in the same boat in international debates about climate change. The study exposes the endorsed or disputed uses of the proverb. I analyse its exploitation by different discourse producers who convey different opinions. The data are extracted from various texts and speeches produced (or translated) in English. This research illustrates how the proverb can be exploited to fit different cultural traditions and different environmental concerns. The aim of the chapter is to identify the different arguments promoted by the use of the proverb. It also highlights the aspects of the proverb that may not correspond to the reality of climate change. This gives rise to argumentative exploitations using related metaphorical expressions. With reliance on cognitive metaphor theories (Lakoff 1993, 2004, 2010), and on metaphor scenarios in particular (Musolff 2004, 2016, 2019a), the occurrences discussed below demonstrate how the metaphorical image of the EARTH IS A CONTAINER has been challenged through the depiction of the EARTH IS A BOAT. Indeed, the source concept BOAT comprises particular characteristics that can cause division among discourse producers to the extent that climate change debates may revolve around the use and misuse of the proverb. The chapter demonstrates that the proverbial phrase to be in the same boat involves precarious implications in environmental discourse

Metaphor and Argumentation in Climate Crisis Discourse

This volume sheds light on the argumentative role of metaphor in climate change discourse, unpacking the ways in which stakeholders use specific metaphors to influence perceptions of the climate crisis. While existing research has explored the explanatory function of metaphors in communication on climate change, this book offers an alternative view, one which posits that metaphors can go beyond disseminating scientific observations to promoting biases in the depiction of these observations. Augé analyses oft-used ideas in climate change communication, such as greenwashing, drawn from a wide-ranging corpus spanning media discourse, scientific discourse, NGO communications, political speech, and social media messages in English. The book presents an overview of different arguments conveyed through metaphors around five key themes—climate change mitigation; the evolution of climate change; global and local effects; the significance of climate change in specific countries; and the relationship between climate change and other contemporary social issues. The volume highlights how the complexity of climate change often necessitates the use of metaphor and the value of further research on the argumentative function of metaphor in elucidating its ideological dimensions in climate crisis discourse. This book will be of interest to scholars in discourse analysis, corpus linguistics, cognitive linguistics, and environmental communication

France’s “drôle de guerre”: Sociopolitical polarisation and resistance to metaphor

This paper sheds light on the sociopolitical polarisation reflected in the responses to a political metaphor, in French public discourse about covid-19. The aim is to uncover how polarisation may influence metaphorical representation of a political issue. The study focuses on the French President’s metaphor “we are at war”, in his announcement of the national lockdown. Responses to this “war” metaphor in public discourse are analysed following a combination of metaphor theories and argumentation theories. Results show that such responses transformed the ”war” metaphor into the “phoney war” metaphor for covid-19. This yielded four main arguments which 1.established causals links between covid-19 and policies, 2.partially endorsed the metaphor, 3.focused on the President’s discursive pattern, and 4.focused on the President’s status. It is argued that more research is needed into public reception to political discourse, in view of the arguments derived from resistance to metaphor

Situationally-triggered metaphors as political arguments: Public responses and argumentative exploitation

This paper proposes to investigate the public responses to situationally-triggered metaphors as these have been observed in political argumentative discourse. Situationally-triggered metaphors occur when a nonmetaphorical connection is made between the source domain and an aspect of the relevant situational context. The question addressed in this research is: how are such metaphors perceived by the public when these form part of the political argumentation? To answer this question, the study focuses on a particular instance of political situationally-triggered metaphor i.e., Boris Johnson’s “James Bond” metaphor produced during COP26. The paper draws on Critical Metaphor Analysis and Deliberate Metaphor Theory to analyse the public comments and reactions posted on the social media platform Twitter in response to the politician’s arguments. The analysis reveals that most of the public responses exploit the “James Bond” metaphor to dispute Johnson’s self-identification to the fictional character and provide meta-arguments that revolve around the politician’s misuse of metaphors. In contrast, responses that exploit the metaphor to convey political arguments or endorsement are much more limited. It is thus argued that situationally-triggered metaphors do not only represent a political rhetorical device, but these are also effective political tools to shift public attention towards discursive patterns instead of arguments presented in discourse

The Red Rebel Brigade and the Blood Bath: Environmental artivism and the visual impacts of metaphors

This paper investigates the visual metaphors identified during two performances produced by the environmental movement Extinction Rebellion: the Red Rebel Brigade and the Blood Bath. These performances use BLOOD as a visual source concept at play during environmental protests. The different conceptualisations of BLOOD and the arguments promoted during each performance shed light on the visual metaphor scenario SHARED ENVIRONMENTAL CIRCUMSTANCES AS COMMON BLOOD. I thus ask how the different uses of the scenario may affect the public while raising awareness about the climate crisis. On the one hand, I demonstrate that the Red Rebel Brigade relies on artistic features to depict Extinction Rebellion’s vision of an ideal world. On the other hand, I establish that the Blood Bath relies on more explicit conceptualisations to make environmental damages visible to the public.Der Beitrag untersucht visuelle Metaphern, die während zweier Aufführungen der Umweltbewegung Extinction Rebellion, Red Rebel Brigade und Blood Bath, identifiziert werden konnten. Diese Performances nutzen BLOOD als visuelles Quellkonzept bei Umweltprotesten. Die unterschiedlichen Konzeptualisierungen von BLOOD und die während jeder Aufführung vorgebrachten Argumente werfen Licht auf das visuelle Metaphernszenario SHARED ENVIRONMENTAL CIRCUMSTANCES AS COMMON BLOOD. Es wird gefragt, wie sich die unterschiedlichen Nutzungen des Szenarios auf die Öffentlichkeit auswirken und gleichzeitig das Bewusstsein für die Klimakrise schärfen können. Einerseits wird gezeigt, dass die Red Rebel Brigade auf künstlerische Elemente setzt, um Extinction Rebellions Vision einer idealen Welt darzustellen. Andererseits ist festzustellen, dass Blood Bath auf expliziteren Konzeptualisierungen beruht, um Umweltschäden für die Öffentlichkeit sichtbar zu machen

Are RELIGION metaphor anti-revolutionary? Metaphors of climate scepticism in France

This paper investigates the socio-political implications of sceptical metaphors in French discourse about the climate crisis. Existing literature has demonstrated the prevalence of religion metaphors in English sceptical discourse. Yet, in France, religious references in language use are limited as such references have been considered “anti-revolutionary” since the storming of the Bastille, in 1789. I thus ask to what extent sceptical metaphors in French climate crisis discourse differ from English sceptical metaphors. To this aim, I conduct a corpus-based study relying on texts published in the extreme-right wing French newspaper “Valeurs Actuelles”. The metaphors identified in this corpus are analysed so as to uncover the mini-narratives related to sceptical metaphor scenarios. Consistent with existing literature, the analysis establishes the prevalence of the religion scenario. However, the research highlights significant argumentative exploitations: metaphor users define the source concept according to cultural viewpoints on religion and ideological understanding of the religious lexicon. I demonstrate that religion metaphors prevail because associated source concepts (environmentalism as islam) are not conceived as being part of the domain of religion, according to these (extreme-right-wing) discourse producers

Towards Legitimisation Studies in contemporary crises

In this chapter, cases where political legitimisation strategies may expose their limits will be examined. Can discursive strategies be enhanced or improved to make legitimisation strategies more effective for political actors and thereby reduce the gap between expectation and performance? The exploration of Legitimisation Studies points to the need for Critical Discourse Studies to reappraise how political actors justify their actions in contexts where threat, uncertainty and urgency lead to crisis, and through the medium of conflict between actors. This research draws on the techniques used to legitimise political action, and we take into account the multifarious de-legitimisation strategies also used to spread myths and mistruths and deflect blame and accountability on to political counterparts. Legitimisation signals the need for actors in the political sphere to develop and improve their dialogue with the public and in all areas of the political system. We demonstrate that this dialogue can be improved through didactic discursive strategies (such as the use of metaphors) and contextually-relevant speech acts (such as apologies, compromises, and justifications). The dialogue permitted by the new media between individuals (primarily politicians and the public) is a significant asset in the arsenal of legitimisation strategies. By sharing personal or local experiences of the crisis, questioning the scopes of particular policies and expressing emotions generated by crisis discourse, discourse producers can legitimise their stances. These strategies can help to limit the adverse impacts on political authority and manage the public’s fear, both of which characterise legitimate political discourse on matters of crisis

British and Irish newspapers implicitly support single-use masks over reusable face coverings

The environmental impact of waste caused by single-use masks or face coverings is an under-considered effect associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study demonstrates how the discourse in British and Irish newspapers in the March 2020-December 2021 time frame relates to this problem. The combination of the protective purpose of face masks and their potential environmental impacts through littering or waste management means the wearing of face masks is simultaneously associated with the health crisis and creation of a new environmental challenge, combining two strands of journalism. By a combination of quantitative and qualitative discourse analysis, we identify concepts commonly associated with the terms "face-covering" and "mask", particularly concerning whether they refer to a disposable or reusable item. Results suggest that the newspaper discourse generally favoured references to single-use surgical masks. Newspapers reported on the environmental impact of face masks only in very limited ways. We propose that the increase in waste caused by face masks can be related to prevailing representations of single-use surgical masks and limited attention paid to environmental concerns