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THE RHETORIC OF THE MORAL MAJORITY: TRANSFORMING PERCEPTIONS OF OPPOSITION (SOCIAL MOVEMENT, NEW RIGHT)
Abstract
This study investigated how the Moral Majority responded to opposition during the first four years of its existence. Working from a resource mobilization perspective, the dissertation argues that movement organizations are similar to their institutionalized counterparts, with needs to rationally coordinate individuals into collective pursuit of their goals. Opposition typically poses exigencies for movement leaders; leaders' response may determine whether opposition will have negative or positive consequences for the movement. The study argues that Moral Majority's leaders confronted opposition by casting the struggle with the opposition into an intense "battle" for morality. Drawing upon the resources of morality as symbol and the battle metaphor, they cast critics as evil enemies and members as heroes defending the social order. This rhetorical perspective strengthened the movement by providing such intangible successes as delegitimizing criticism and legitimizing its ideology; enhancing identification/unity, and morale; strengthening the authority of leaders to direct a variety of collective actions, and so on. Thus, the study concludes that the perspective taken on opposition helps sustain and mobilize the movement as a collectivity in the sociopolitical world.
Subject Area
Communication
Recommended Citation
BRENNER, DOUGLAS FRANCIS, "THE RHETORIC OF THE MORAL MAJORITY: TRANSFORMING PERCEPTIONS OF OPPOSITION (SOCIAL MOVEMENT, NEW RIGHT)" (1984). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8503422.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8503422