Balikić, Lucija.
(2018).
The Croatian Question in the Political Language of British Liberals (1908-1920).
Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of History.
[mentor Agičić, Damir and Blažević, Zrinka].
Abstract
This thesis attempts to outline the most relevant commonplaces and rethorical strategies used
in the political languages of the British Liberals in the aforementioned period. Using the
Norman Fairclough's threedimensional framework, this work initially examines political and
discursive practices and afterwards it introduces the analysis of the discourse itself. In that
respect, the discourse is presented by four most relevant commonplaces: „Subject/Oppressed
nationality“, „Guardians of the Gate“, „Drang nach Osten“ and „Integral victory“.
Simultaneously, each of the commonplaces is attached to the several rethorical strategies
which are used to legitimise it but which also reveal the stances, assumptions and goals that
British Liberals had while arguing for the Yugoslav unification and the Croatian position
within the new state.
Finally, following the language analysis, the author argues that there are considerable
discrepancies and problems in the relationship between the discourse (production) and the
political practice of the same historical actors. The 3 key problems outlined in that context are
the secret diplomacy, the critique of German imperalism whilst non-reflecting on the British
and the engagement regarding the Croatian Question during the unification and peace
settlement. The overall conclusion of this thesis is that the language of British Liberals in that
period reveals that they were consciously producing a discourse about the urgent and ethical
need for Britain to help the realisation of Yugoslav unification. In doing so, they established
imperial authority by monopolising knowledge production on the peoples and lands relevant
for their interests combining it with the discourse about Britain's role in the history of the
world.
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
Statistics
Statistics