Synopses & Reviews
The attacks of 9/11 led to a war on Iraq, although there was neither tangible evidence that the nation's leader, Saddam Hussein, was linked to Osama bin Laden nor proof of weapons of mass destruction. Why, then, did the Iraq war garner so much acceptance in the United States during its primary stages?
Mass Deception argues that the George W. Bush administration manufactured public support for the war on Iraq. Scott A. Bonn introduces a unique, integrated, and interdisciplinary theory called "critical communication" to explain how and why political elites and the news media periodically create public panics that benefit both parties. Using quantitative analysis of public opinion polls and presidential rhetoric pre- and post-9/11 in the news media, Bonn applies the moral panic concept to the Iraq war. He critiques the war and occupation of Iraq as violations of domestic and international law. Finally, Mass Deception connects propaganda and distortion efforts by the Bush administration to more general theories of elite deviance and state crime.
Review
andquot;Bonn offers a careful analysis of the post-9/11 build-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. This book should be of great interest to scholars in the sociology of deviance, communication, political science, and to the general public.andquot;
Review
andquot;This book is a timely contribution to the emerging study of state crime. Bonn does a fine job of explicating moral panic and elite deviance arguments in the context of the Iraq war. A clear and compelling read.andquot;
Review
"An impressively documented and researched study of an immensely consequential topic that deserves a wide readership. Highly Recommended." Amie L. Nielsen - Department of sociology, University of Miami
Review
andquot;An impressively documented and researched study of an immensely consequential topic that deserves a wide readership. Highly Recommended.andquot;
Synopsis
he attacks of 9/11 pre-empted a war against the nation of Iraq, although there was no clear-cut evidence that the nation's leader Saddam Hussein was linked to Osama Bin Laden's Baath Party. Five years later, with the execution of Saddam Hussein and no proof of weapons of mass destruction, the U.S. is still embroiled in a war with Iraq. Why would such a war garner so much acceptance in its primary stages? This book offers empirical evidence that the deceptive rhetoric of the Bush administration actually manufactured US public support of invading Iraq. Bonn examines a theoretical position that the war was legitimized by an elite-engineered moral panic precipitated by the Bush administration and reinforced by the news media which exploited pre-existing negative stereotypes of Arabs and influenced public opinion on support for the invasion of Iraq. Bonn also asserts that the Bush administration is guilty of elite deviance, stating that moral panic constitutes elite deviance and the invasion and occupation of Iraq are state crimes in violation of international law.
Synopsis
The attacks of 9/11 led to a war on Iraq, although there was neither tangible evidence that Saddam Hussein was linked to Osama bin Laden nor proof of weapons of mass destruction. Why, then, did the Iraq war garner so much acceptance in the United States during its primary stages? Mass Deception argues that the George W. Bush administration manufactured public support for the war on Iraq, introducing a unique, integrated, and interdisciplinary theory called "critical communication" to explain how and why political elites and the news media periodically create public panics that benefit both parties.
About the Author
Scott A. Bonn is an assistant professor of sociology at Drew University.