Abstract
In this dissertation, I compare the discourses of key political and intellectual actors in France and in the United States, in order to better understand the ways in which they have articulated major global issues since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. I situate my investigation against three main themes - empire, terror(ism), and human rights - which have gained heightened prominence and coalesced in new ways since the attacks. Through its interdisciplinary and comparative framework, this dissertation explores the nature of “empire” in a globalized world and the increasing prominence of a human rights agenda in considering issues relating to both empire and terrorism.
Specifically, the two case studies presented in the dissertation examine areas of similarity and contrast in the post-September 11 discourses of 1) Presidents Bush and Chirac, and 2) French and American intellectuals. Through my analysis both of the language, and of the arguments which emerge in the pronouncements of these important actors, I aim to elucidate the manner in which the themes of empire, terrorism, and human rights have been debated in France and America since the September 11 attacks and in the light of subsequent international developments, most notably the Iraq War. In doing so, this dissertation aims to contribute to our understanding of present-day Franco-American relations, and the key role played by language in constructing collective perceptions of some of the most important issues in contemporary history and politics.
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