"Deconstructing the 2016 Culture White Paper: Ideologies behind the role of Arts & Culture in political Discourse" Dissertation- Maria Kourtesi 2016.pdf

The present study attempts to analyse and decode the so-called linguistic encoders of ideology that were used in the political discourse of the UK Government’s 2016 Culture White Paper, under the multidisciplinary prism of Critical Discourse Analysis. The chosen methodology enables the deconstruction of the political rhetoric, indicating how concepts can be operationalised in political texts and how people’s perceptions and attitudes can be influenced by language. The research findings are interpreted on the basis of a proposed statement, according to which the messages conveyed by the text derive from specific ways of thinking embedded in the language. In short, the analysis identified four ideational cornerstones the white paper sets out to strategically deploy its rhetoric, but overall the role of the arts and culture appears closely connected and aligned with the economy’s needs, whereas the role of education is rather devalued. Examined on the basis of a wider conceptual foundation, the Culture White Paper is perceived to be a policy instrument that reinforces specific ideological concepts deriving from the further correlations between the ways culture is regarded by the government and the prevailing political attitudes in society. Ultimately, this study represents an effort to adapt the concept of Critical Discourse Analysis to a specific communicative context and reinstate ideology as a major component of political discourse