Toppling the ivory tower: Coded communication in American political discourse

Abstract

Anti-intellectualism has a long history in U.S. public debate, and in the 21st century it is not uncommon for politicians to emphasize themes of anti-intellectualism in their public communications. This study proposes a new approach to understanding how anti-intellectualism is communicated in the political arena, and why it matters. Specifically, this study conducted both content analysis and rhetorical analysis to examine discourse emphasizing intellectualism in four U.S. Senate races in 2012 in Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Missouri. Findings show that coded anti-intellectual communications span party and gender lines.