The impact of the Capitol riots on US political debate: A critical constructivist analysis of the ‘event’ and its impact by Dr Ryan O’Connor

31 Oct 2023, 5-6pm. Click here to join the session. 

This seminar is hosted by the College of Law, Social & Criminal Justice Research Seminar Series. Our series offers exciting insights into ongoing research projects within the law school and conducted by our external research partners. We often feature work from our research centres. Join us for invigorating discussion!

In this session, we hear from Dr Ryan O’Connor. Dr Ryan O’Connor is a Senior Lecturer in Security studies and Criminology at BCU. Ryan's research focuses on foreign policy, military interventions, counterterrorism/countering- violent extremism, and emotions in politics.

In this session, Ryan will give the following presentation, followed by an interactive Q&A:

Title: The impact of the Capitol riots on US political debate: A critical constructivist analysis of the ‘event’ and its impact

Abstract:

This session analyses, first, specific perceptions and constructions of the ‘event’ and, second, its broader impact on US political debate. To do so, the session draws on a (funded) coded dataset of circa 1000 texts – coded for emotions, sentiments, and themes – from Republican and Democrat politicians as well as across US news media (print and television).

Our analysis mobilizes the critical constructivist framework in order to explore change and continuity through an analysis of rhetoric, narrative, and discourse. First, despite initial condemnations of the failed coup, the Republican party’s platform remained remarkably consistent, highlighting that the real ‘riots’ which threatened American domestic security occurred in places like Minneapolis, Portland, or Philadelphia. Second, in contrast, Democrat counterparts constructed a narrative of the event with recourse to a trope of domestic terrorism. Third, while left-leaning US media followed the Democratic line, right-leaning outlets demonstrated a more nuanced response, opening up a potential site of narrative and discursive change that goes beyond more ephemeral rhetorical platitudes.

Overall, therefore, this session explores change and continuity through the relationship between events and discourse, in an era of hyper-polarized and especially dangerous partisan politics.

This seminar has now concluded but it is available on demand. If you have any questions, contact Mitchell Longan, the Research Seminar Series leader, at mitchell.longan@bcu.ac.uk.