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Title Comparative Analysis of Persuasive Strategies: Examining Modes of Persuasion in Joe Biden’s and Barack Obama’s Electoral Speeches

Author(s) Iqra Khalid

Abstract The study aims to analyze persuasive strategies employed in the electoral speeches of Joe Biden and Barack Obama. It has attempted to discover how language is the most powerful weapon to control and change people's behaviors; likewise, politicians use highly professional, skilled, sophitiscated, the most captivating and effective language to inspire the audience. This research also examined how leaders use well crafted, highly decorative and colorful language in the political discourse to shape the opinions of their voters in order to serve their interests. There has been significant research on persuasive tactics in political discourse; however, analyzing particular presidential speeches is essential for understanding how these persuasive strategies are effectively employed. The current study carries out a comparative analysis of Persuasive strategies employed in the speeches of the two most empowered and popular politicians of the United States, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama. The data for the study comprises of the excerpts of Joe Biden’s electoral speeches (2020) and Barack Obama’s speeches (2009). The study employs Aristotle's rhetoric, ethos, pathos, and logos theory to analyze persuasive strategies in speeches qualitatively. The findings suggest that politicians intentionally use persuasion in their speeches to emotionally target the audience through the use of ethos and by sharing their personal opinions using the expressive technique in their speeches to get desired results. Additionally, Barack Obama has used ethos and pathos where as Biden has used ethos in their Electoral speeches to win over the audience.

Type Thesis/Dissertation

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2025-06-26

Subject English Linguistics

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