Making Angry Public Rhetorics Work Better for a Global ‘Us’

In the twenty-first century, as throughout human history, anger has played a pivotal role in governance and international affairs. This essay contributes to substantial scholarly literature on public emotion by summarizing an integrative analysis of built both multi-disciplinary literatures theorizing upon three case studies surrounding attacks now commonly labelled “9/11.” Examples from rhetorics Osama bin Laden, President George W. Bush, Susan Sontag illustrate predispositional complex well, because elements that are evident among all rhetorics, despite dramatic differences culture, ideology, positionality rhetors whom they emanate. The concludes urging development conditions rhetorical practices would enable global serve its valuable adjudicatory functions rather than reprise endlessly function rallying peoples attack each other.