Thinking Politically

This volume brings together research at the intersection of Cognitive Linguistics and political discourse analysis. The volume explores how political meaning is constructed, negotiated, and contested through a range of cognitive mechanisms, including metaphor, metonymy, irony, image schemas, idealized cognitive models, and grammatical construals. Spanning contemporary and historical contexts, the contributions examine diverse political phenomena, from climate change communication and the war in Ukraine to European integration, electoral campaigns, and classical political rhetoric.
Drawing on a variety of methodological approaches, including corpus linguistics, critical discourse analysis, cognitive pragmatics, and multimodal analysis, the chapters demonstrate how language and cognition shape political perceptions, attitudes, and identities. By highlighting the role of cognition in public discourse, this volume advances our understanding of how political actors frame reality, legitimize actions, mobilize audiences, and influence public debate. It will be of interest to scholars and students of Cognitive Linguistics, discourse studies, political communication, rhetoric, and media studies.