Dogwhistles and Figleaves

Rezensionen / Stimmen

It's a scrupulous look at a damaging linguistic phenomenon that often hides in plain sight. * Publishers Weekly * What is interesting about Saul's study is the instability of meaning it reveals, the layers of deception employed not only by speakers, but by listeners, who are occasionally deluding themselves ... clear, engaging and very readable. * Roisin Kiberd, Irish Independent * An important contribution to the domains of philosophy of language, social epistemology and political philosophy. * Jodi Newman, Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective * There is no doubt that our current political climate is posing a threat to democracy. It is not only that we are polarized, but polarization is fueled by an onslaught of (often thinly veiled) manipulative speech and falsehoods. Media consumers absorb distorting messages without even being aware of it, and speakers are not held responsible. Dogwhistles and Figleaves provides an essential tool for seeing how our ability to communicate and to coordinate is being undermined. This theoretically rich and highly readable book is essential for those who value democracy, and the kind of public discourse that makes it possible. * Sally Haslanger, Ford Professor of Philosophy and Women's and Genders Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology * Dogwhistles and Figleaves: How Manipulative Language Spreads Racism and Falsehood is a tour de force, sparked by, and greatly expanding and updating, Jennifer Saul's pioneering articles on the subject. It is a highly original and engaging book at the intersection of philosophy of language, epistemology, and politics that is just what is needed in these times. * Susan J. Brison, Author of Aftermath: Violence and the Remaking of a Self * Timely. * Andrew Robinson, Nature * Dogwhistles and Figleaves is written in an accessible style with plenty of examples and comprehensive sources. * Choice * How did racism and blatant falsehood become so mainstream in U.S. politics? An essential part of the answer to this question is that racist political language has evolved to assume forms coded to be audible only to its followers, and forms that can stay undeciphered even by those under its influence--thus the overt and covert dogwhistle. Another essential adaptation discerned by Saul is the figleaf, which provides cover for a racist and/or blatantly false idea, enabling it to be paraded in public where once it would not have been accepted. With perfect pitch for the ruses of nefarious political speech, Saul's analysis brings out its recent modulations in resonant philosophical form. * Miranda Fricker, Julius Silver Professor, New York University * Dogwhistles and Figleaves is a pleasure to read and will be an essential resource for theorists across a variety of disciplines who are seeking to understand the current state of political discourse. Because of its characteristic combination of exceptional clarity and philosophical depth, it willmake for an excellent tool for graduate and undergraduate teaching alike. It would also make a great gift to friends and family who could benefitfrom an accessible primer in political discourse. * Jessica Keiser, Ethics * Mather Saul's work encourages reflection on the definition andconsequence of lies, giving detailed examples of different strategies in which the truth was clearly disregarded in American and British political campaigns. * Minerva Fraile, Language in Society *