The Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal in the United States, but that statement does not hold true for words. Some words carry more weight than others-they seem to work harder, get more done, and demand more respect. Political Keywords: Using Language That Uses Us looks at eight dominant words that are crucial to American political discourse and how they have been employed during the last fifty years. Based on an analysis of eleven separate studies of political language, Political Keywords helps readers to understand what these terms mean and how they are used. For example, the book tracks what politics now means to modern commentators, how school-teachers impress certain values upon the nation's children by invoking the office of the president, and why an innocent word like government sometimes makes people so upset. It details how the people are referenced in political talk and how the media portray themselves. The book also considers the work done...