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Article published In:
Journal of Argumentation in Context
Vol. 8:3 (2019) ► pp.285–316

The TV addresses of the Swiss government before popular votes

A case study of argumentation in direct democracy

| Universität Wien

This paper analyzes an important genre in the public debates before popular votes in Switzerland: the TV addresses in which the Swiss government presents its standpoint and main arguments for or against the proposal put to the vote. The paper investigates a series of addresses in order to characterize the argumentation in them. The question is whether the addresses show similarities and, if there are any, what their pragmatic effects on the argumentation might be. The addresses are studied with concepts and methods from linguistics and argumentation theory: with regard to the role of the non-verbal modes, the composition, the relation between argumentation and other practices, the argumentative macro- and micro-structure, and personal references. In all these aspects, recurrent features can be identified. Many of these features can be understood as highly functional for the Swiss political system with its far-reaching direct democratic rights. They effectuate an argumentation that is rather informative than confrontational.

Keywords: direct democracy, genre, government communication, Switzerland, TV addresses
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background information on the Swiss political system
  • 3.Corpus and methods
  • 4.Results and discussion
    • 4.1The role of the non-verbal modes
    • 4.2The composition of parts, text elements, and verbal activities
    • 4.3The relation between argumentation and other practices
    • 4.4The argumentative macro-structure
    • 4.5The argumentative micro-structure
    • 4.6Personal references
  • 5.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 24 January 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jaic.18049.sch
References

References

Data

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2017b [TV address on the] Energiegesetz, produced by SRG SSR. [URL]. Accessed 26 November 2019.
2016 [TV address on the] Initiative “Für Ehe und Familie gegen die Heiratsstrafe”, produced by SRG SSR. [URL]. Accessed 26 November 2019.
2015a [TV address on the] Änderung des Bundesgesetzes über Radio und Fernsehen, produced by SRG SSR. [URL]. Accessed 26 November 2019.
2015b [TV address on] Präimplantationsdiagnostik, produced by SRG SSR. [URL]. Accessed 26 November 2019.
2014a [TV address on the] Beschaffung des Kampfflugzeuges Gripen, produced by SRG SSR. [URL]. Accessed 26 November 2019.
2014b [TV address on the] Initiative “Für den Schutz fairer Löhne”, produced by SRG SSR. [URL]. Accessed 26 November 2019.
2014c [TV address on the] Initiative “Gegen Masseneinwanderung”, produced by SRG SSR. [URL]. Accessed 26 November 2019.
2014d [TV address on the] Initiative “Pädophile sollen nicht mehr mit Kindern arbeiten dürfen”, produced by SRG SSR. [URL]. Accessed 18 April 2018.
2013 [TV address on the] Bundesbeschluss über die Familienpolitik, produced by SRG SSR. Video provided by SRG SSR.Google Scholar
2010 [TV address] Zur Ausschaffungsinitiative und zum Gegenentwurf des Bundesrates, produced by SRG SSR. Video provided by SRG SSR.Google Scholar
Schröter, Juliane, and Stefan Keller
Forth. Transkripte von elf Video-Ansprachen der Schweizer Regierung vor Volksabstimmungen. Transcripts of eleven TV addresses given by the Swiss government before popular votes. Zenodo. DOI logo

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