This book reconceptualises the idea of “post-truth”. It does not limit the domain of post-truth to the production factories of fake news. Drawing on examples such as Trump, War on Terror, anti-vaccination, climate change denial, denial of scientific facts about smoking, and so forth, it analyses the concept through a new theoretical lens which focuses on the specificity of post-truth discourses. Further, the volume develops a guide to operationalise post-truth discourse and makes use of Pakistan as a case study to illustrate post-truth discourses in Pakistani newspapers and implements an experiment to measure the effects of post-truth rhetoric on political attitudes.
The volume will be essential reading for students, scholars, and researchers of media and communication studies, politics, and South Asian studies.
List of Figures ix List of Tables x Preface xi Acknowledgements xiii PART I Post-truth as Political Discourse 1 1 Introduction 3 2 What Is Post-truth? 23 3 Defining, Characterising, and Analysing Post-truth: An Analytical Framework 38 PART II Post-truth Discourse in Pakistan 73 4 A Guide for Empirical Research Using Post-truth Narratives 75 5 Insights from South Asia: Post-truth Narratives in Pakistani Newspapers 104 6 The Effects of Desire-based Framing on Political Attitudes 135 7 Conclusion 165 Appendix: Newspaper Articles Cited from Dawn, The Nation, and The Express Tribune 177
Biography
Anam Kuraishi is Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Antwerp. Her research centres on elite rhetoric, political behaviour, South Asian politics, and comparative politics. She investigates the implications of post-truth rhetoric on political behaviour, democratic backsliding, and the rise of authoritarian politics. She received her PhD in Government from the University of Essex and an MSc in Comparative Politics from London School of Economics. She has held visiting positions at the Collegio Carlo Alberto – University of Turin, and Aarhus University.
This groundbreaking work redefines our understanding of post-truth by offering a fresh conceptual framework rooted in post-structuralist theories. The author’s ambition to frame post-truth as a discourse showcases intellectual depth, while the inclusion of a Pakistani case study provides a unique perspective often overlooked in Eurocentric analyses. Navigating the intricacies of emotionality within post-truth discourse, the author raises thought-provoking questions and challenges conventional narratives. With a concise and focused theoretical approach, this book not only contributes significantly to the academic discourse on post-truth but also highlights the relevance of post-structuralist theory in shaping our understanding of this timely phenomenon.
Anna Durnová, Professor, University of Vienna
Anam Kuraishi has managed to give a new impetus to research on post-truth by combining a novel theoretical approach with a long-overdue shift in emphasis beyond the typically Western-centric discussions of this phenomenon. As such, this book is a must read for anyone concerned with the transformations of political processes in contemporary societies with a particular emphasis on the Majority World. This book can also be foreseen to serve as a conceptual and methodological blueprint for future research on post-truth.
Ignas Kalpokas, Associate Professor, Vytautas Magnus University and author of A Political Theory of Post-Truth
The use of “post-truth” has raced far ahead of the understanding of the term. It needs careful handling, both theoretically and empirically. It gets that handling in this thoughtful and immersive study which should be read by anyone interested in the concept of post-truth or in how the tools of discourse analysis can help us to understand contemporary politics.
Rob Johns, Professor, University of Southampton
Few would disagree with the contention that fake news and post-truth discourse are among the main political challenges of our time. In this provocative book, Anam Kuraishi argues that we should go beyond the dichotomy of facts versus lies. She offers a novel way of analysing post-truth as a discourse with specific features and effects.
Stefaan Walgrave, Professor, University of Antwerp
