Visualizing #BostonStrong: Commemorative Implications for a Rhetorical Epithet of Civic Identity

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Crawford, E. (2016). Visualizing #BostonStrong: Commemorative Implications for a Rhetorical Epithet of Civic Identity. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

Following a tragic event such as a mass shooting, terrorist attack or natural disaster in the United States, it has become a ritual for audiences to establish particular hashtags pertaining to these events. Subsequent to the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013, the hashtag #BostonStrong was widely circulated and used not only to describe the event itself, but to describe the city of Boston and its people as well. Although #BostonStrong is not the first of its kind, the hashtag in Boston has been among the most widely circulated and as of 2016, is still prominent in the discourse surrounding Boston. This case study of #BostonStrong is unique and allows for an innovative way of viewing hashtags as rhetorical tools with visual characteristics to communicate a particular cultural identity for a community. Thematic rhetorical analysis of visual and textual portrayals of Boston in newspapers, magazines, speeches and social media platforms was conducted in order to identify a particular ethos of strength in Boston. I argue that the combination of visual portrayals of Boston in public media along with the ethos or "spirit" of Boston that has become prevalent within the community, have ultimately influenced the communication about and the spatial commemoration practices of the Boston Marathon bombings. This study provides scholars with an innovative way of viewing hashtags pertaining to tragic events as tools for audiences to visualize and co-create meaning for an event such as the Boston Marathon bombings.

Details
Author

Crawford, Emily

Title

Visualizing #BostonStrong: Commemorative Implications for a Rhetorical Epithet of Civic Identity

Physical Description

1 online resource (65 pages) : PDF

Date

2016

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

Following a tragic event such as a mass shooting, terrorist attack or natural disaster in the United States, it has become a ritual for audiences to establish particular hashtags pertaining to these events. Subsequent to the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013, the hashtag #BostonStrong was widely circulated and used not only to describe the event itself, but to describe the city of Boston and its people as well. Although #BostonStrong is not the first of its kind, the hashtag in Boston has been among the most widely circulated and as of 2016, is still prominent in the discourse surrounding Boston. This case study of #BostonStrong is unique and allows for an innovative way of viewing hashtags as rhetorical tools with visual characteristics to communicate a particular cultural identity for a community. Thematic rhetorical analysis of visual and textual portrayals of Boston in newspapers, magazines, speeches and social media platforms was conducted in order to identify a particular ethos of strength in Boston. I argue that the combination of visual portrayals of Boston in public media along with the ethos or "spirit" of Boston that has become prevalent within the community, have ultimately influenced the communication about and the spatial commemoration practices of the Boston Marathon bombings. This study provides scholars with an innovative way of viewing hashtags pertaining to tragic events as tools for audiences to visualize and co-create meaning for an event such as the Boston Marathon bombings.

Genre

masters theses

Subjects--Topics

Communication
Rhetoric

Degree

M.A.

Keywords

Civic Identity
Commemoration
Image Vernacular
Visual Ideograph
Visual Rhetoric

Subject Area

Communication Studies

Advisor(s)

Plotnick, Rachel

Committee Members

Grano, Daniel
Crane, Jonathan

Degree Note

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2016.

Rights Statement

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). For additional information, see http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/.

Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Crawford_uncc_0694N_11112

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:269