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Article published In:
Journal of Language and Politics
Vol. 22:6 (2023) ► pp.826–845

“There is new technology here that can perform miracles”

The discursive psychology of technological optimism in climate change policy debates

ORCID logo | University of Copenhagen

This paper puts the spotlight on the discursive practices by which politicians, interest group representatives, and other influential public figures in effect promote climate inaction by conveying confidence in technological innovation. Data consist of policy debates on prominent public service television in Denmark. The study uses Discursive Psychology to examine how references to technological innovation are: (i) sequentially invoked as the solution to problematization of policies that allow high levels of emissions; (ii) grammatically designed to highlight the force of technological innovation; and (iii) rhetorically produced to support a subjective contrast between a pessimist and an optimist outlook. Overall, the study finds that invocation of technological optimism constitutes a ‘ready answer’ to communicative challenges that emerge during the debates, which effectively justifies inaction.

Keywords: Discursive psychology, Global warming, Climate change communication, Discourse analysis, Political debate, Optimism, Technology
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background
  • 3.Data and methodological approach
  • 4.Analysis
    • 4.1Technological innovation as the answer to high emission levels
    • 4.2Technological innovation as agency
    • 4.3Technological innovation as grounds for optimism
  • 5.Discussion and conclusion
  • References
Published online: 29 September 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.23035.nie
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