Dog Whistle Politics

Dog Whistle Politics, a phrase coined by Ian Haney Lopez, is a rhetorical device used by politicians and their colleagues to speak to their constituents in a way that is not always obvious to everyone else.

Analyze a speech (audio, video or text) for “dog whistles” and explain their meanings and rhetorical power. For example, when President Ronald Reagan addressed the nation after the Challenger shuttle explosion, he includes, “We don’t hide our space program.

We don’t keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public. That’s the way freedom is, and we wouldn’t change it for a minute.” This part of the message was intended for the Russians, who were known to cover up their space tragedies.

Dog Whistle Politics Write-up Instructions

Write a 500-word essay about the ‘dog whistles’ found in a single speech, demonstrating several examples of where hidden meanings are, who they were meant for and what they actually mean. There is a wealth of information on this to be found, so use Lopez and other contemporaries to help you decode, but, cite your sources.

You’ll want to take the time, after establishing a strong thesis, to explain what Dog Whistle Politics is for the benefit of the unfamiliar. You’ll be able to cover three to five examples of ‘dog whistles’ in your essay and make sure they all come from the same speech.

Use MLA citations for the appropriate media – web, print, audio, video, etc