Crypto as a semiotic sign and a master signifier

What is a sign in semiotics? A linguistic sign1 is not a link between a thing and a name, but between a concept [signified] and a sound pattern [signifier]. This link is arbitrary -- anything can be signified by any word. As the figure above illustrates, the sign "Crypto" represents a number of concepts prevalent … Continue reading Crypto as a semiotic sign and a master signifier →

the big Other(s)

I'm reading the book, "Six Moments in Lacan: Communication and identification in psychology and psychoanalysis" and the first chapter immediately struck me as providing a way to analyse seemingly irreconcilable political divides globally and in the US in particular. I've chosen to cite some findings from PRRI's 2021 American Values Survey to give context to … Continue reading the big Other(s) →

Stenner, authoritarianism & winning over status quo conservatives

As someone from the left/liberal camp, a fascinating Twitter thread led me to discovering potential communication tactics for "status quo conservatives" and how to differentiate them from voters with authoritarian tendencies. https://twitter.com/dasvee/status/1450404018258391046 The tweets are largely based on the work of Karen Stenner, a political psychologist and behavioural economist. Stenner's research leads her to conclude … Continue reading Stenner, authoritarianism & winning over status quo conservatives →

Constructing reality: COVID & economy messaging in Sri Lanka

Prior to reading this, it may help to read my page on Constructing Reality, which gives some basic theoretical background to this blog post. I’ve had a long-standing interest in how reality can be constructed, especially in a political context. Currently, it’s possible to observe this happening in Sri Lanka in a very instructive manner. … Continue reading Constructing reality: COVID & economy messaging in Sri Lanka →

Ideological Apparatuses & Interpellation

PART 2 of Constructing a Party As the diagram shows, the Party will have to follow a process in order to propagate its ideology. In this conceptual framework, ideological apparatuses as conceived by Althusser become useful. These provide the tools by which the Party can inculcate the public with its message. It is important to … Continue reading Ideological Apparatuses & Interpellation →

Biden, Trump & framing the issues

In a series of tweets, I drew attention to a tactical mistake that Biden made in his response to BLM protests, especially over those in Kenosha. The key points are: "Law & Order" is safe Republican/Conservative territoryBiden is adopting Trump's framing of a nation at war with itself, which makes an authoritarian & conservative leader … Continue reading Biden, Trump & framing the issues →

“Forensic” and “Plans”: signifier words

When used about two centrist figures, these words infuriate many on the left. "Forensic" is used ad nauseam to describe Keir Starmer’s interactions with the government and “plans” was a key part of Elizabeth Warren’s brand. The deployment of these words is an interesting and easily understood example of an important communications concept. We can … Continue reading “Forensic” and “Plans”: signifier words →

Starmer’s comms strategy

Despite criticism for being soft, it was clear that Keir Starmer had a methodical communications plan for engaging with the Tory government's failures in tackling COVID-19. I outlined his approach in a series of tweets and this was proved correct. It's been possible to see Starmer's structured approach unfurl in real time. He initially appeared … Continue reading Starmer’s comms strategy →

Ideology and campaigns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk8ibrfXvpQ The idiosyncratic (and always thought-provoking) musings of Zizek aside, ideology has a hugely important but often misunderstood role in the current era of campaigns. It is also one of the four primary criteria in the disruption model of politics. It is crucial to draw a distinction between ideology and policies in this context. Quoting from a previous … Continue reading Ideology and campaigns →

UK General Election – analysis of content #GE2017

A few observations to date: You’re a flip-flopper! No, you are!! the Lib Dems and Tories are using very similar graphics to draw attention to flip-flops by each other’s party leader. While this style of an image can be a useful tool, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the onset of a degree of audience … Continue reading UK General Election – analysis of content #GE2017 →