Obama as folk devil: a frame analysis of race, nationalism, and moral panic in the era of Obama

Thesis (M.A., Sociology)--California State University, Sacramento, 2012.Using participant observation at Tea Party rallies held in Northern California in 2010 and 2011, this research analyzes how the movement performs diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational framing tasks and explores how the movement operates within allegations of racism, a nationalistic orientation, and a foundation built upon moral panic. Findings suggest the application of three primary diagnostic frames: the U.S. economy, the Affordable Care Act, and President Obama as the primary threat. Analysis suggests three prognostic frames: acquiring knowledge, voting undesirable people out of office, and getting involved in political organizing. As motivational frames Tea Party framers used concepts of saving the economy, stopping socialism, providing for children???s futures, protecting liberty, and ???taking back America??? as rationale for action. Racism was addressed and denied but not explicitly denounced. Nationalistic and exclusionary tendencies were demonstrated through diagnostic and motivational framing tasks.Sociolog