Writing the War on Terrorism Language, Politics and Counter-terrorism

'Writing the war on terrorism' examines the public language of the war on terrorism, and the way that rhetoric has been used to justify the global counter-terrorism offensive as a response to 9/11. It discusses how language has been used to deliberately manipulate public anxiety about terrorist threats to gain support for military action, and how the abuse of Iraqi prisoners has been normalised through rhetoric and practice. . The author argues that the normalisation and institutionalisation of the administration's current counter-terrorism approach is damaging to society's ethical values and to democratic political participation.

Richard Jackson is Lecturer in International Security at the Centre for International Politics at the University of Manchester.

Introduction: Language and politics * Analysing the language of counter-terrorism * Writing September 11, 2001 * Writing identity: Evil terrorists and good Americans * Writing threat and danger * Writing the good (new) war on terrorism * Language and power: Reproducing the discourse * Conclusion: Politics, violence and resistance * Final thoughts * Appendix: Official texts
Introduction: Language and politics * Analysing the language of counter-terrorism * Writing September 11, 2001 * Writing identity: Evil terrorists and good Americans * Writing threat and danger * Writing the good (new) war on terrorism * Language and power: Reproducing the discourse * Conclusion: Politics, violence and resistance * Final thoughts * Appendix: Official texts