Revue Algérienne des Sciences du Langage
Volume 2, Numéro 1, Pages 42-49
2017-06-10

“discourse Analysis Of The Representation Of Islam In Obama’s Cairo Speech: Rhetorics Vs Pragmatism”

Authors : Makhlouf Abdelkader . Driss Mohamed Amine .

Abstract

The present study investigates the representation of Islam in President Obama’s Cairo speech. Many researchers consider Obama’s speeches to be characterised with a powerful language associated often with rhetoric, a firm and measured delivery that exudes confidence and produces a sense of purpose. Moreover, Obama’s speeches have been described to be embedded with certain forms of pragmatism. Hence, the present research incites us to discover the way Islam is represented in Obama’s Cairo speech, mainly from the point of pragmatism and rhetoric, contemporaneously with a time empowered by conflict between the United States and Muslims around the world, and what interest and relationship can be found between the West and Islam. The complex relationship between the United States and various Muslim countries led many people from both sides to view each other as adversely hostile to their principles and traditions. To this effect, the researchers try to analyse how far Obama’s Cairo speech represents Islam with regard to his rhetorical language form associated with pragmatism, with the assumption that what something ‘is’ becomes shaped and represented by the use of language within specific language-games.

Keywords

Discourse, Islam, representation, pragmatism, rhetoric.