Donovan O. Schaefer

ABSTRACT

This essay draws on affect theory to develop an account of Donald Trump's rhetorical methods. Building on the work of other scholars who have linked affect theory to Communication Studies, this paper argues that the success of Trump's rhetoric emerges, in part, through his mastery of a circuit of shame and dignity, in which supporters—especially white supporters—who feel ashamed find, in his verbal and visual style, a repudiation of shame. After discussing how shame constitutes a particular rhetorical field, I assess how Trump's style of communication offers a defiance of shame in the name of rejuvenated racialized self-confidence.

KEYWORDS

Affect, shame, race, Trump, whiteness

From: Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 2020 17 (1)

Editor: Wang Yi