Ponton, Douglas. Understanding Political Persuasion: Linguistic and Rhetorical Analysis. Vernon Press, 2020.
Ponton’s book demonstrates the complexities of political speech by combining argumentation and rhetorical evaluation, content analysis, and appraisal theories (57). As such, it serves as a solid starting point for anybody interested in studying the various modes of contemporary political discourse. This book offers an in-depth analysis of the persuasive power of classical political oratory from the perspective of discourse analysis. Ponton’s book has merit since it can be utilized by would-be analysts as a guide to understanding the textual patterns that can have a potent rhetorical effect (143). It does not require much background knowledge of any particular theoretical or methodological paradigm. The author is an associate professor at the University of Catania presently engaged at the Department of Political and Social Sciences. This book has a wealth of information, and the author’s qualitative examination of data is thoughtful and well-informed. Students and researchers in many disciplines, including linguistics, politics, and communication, will find it useful.
Porter, Christine. “‘Choice’: What we Mean by it, and What That Means for Preventing Childhood Obesity.” Public Health Nutrition, vol. 16, no. 1, 2013, pp. 123-129. Web.
Porter, the holder of a Doctor of Philosophy in Community Nutrition, affirms that obese people are seen as morally deficient, and Americans quickly judge them based on their food choices (126). The American principle of personal freedom is central to the autonomy framework. In this article, the author analyzes how people in the Northeastern United States discussed and valued the concept of ‘option’ in the context of reducing childhood obesity. The United States has gained disrepute due to the prevalence of obesity in American society. The government has initiated an all-out assault on the epidemic of childhood obesity. Obesity prevention policy initiatives meet hostility, especially from the political right, for being seen as an interference with ‘choice’ in a society arguably equally famed for embracing individualism and personal freedom (Porter 125). This source will be relevant in establishing that while poor eating habits may be attributed to free will for some, the vast majority of people whose health problems stem from their diet find it challenging. The author makes similar affirmations to Zinczenko that policies aimed at reducing obesity should benefit public health by making use of shifting social norms and encouraging overweight individuals to make more informed decisions (par. 6).
Zinczenko, David. “Don’t Blame the Eater.” The New York Times. 2002. Web.
The author explains to his readers why society should not place all the blame for obesity on youngsters and young adults. Fast food chains should take more of the blame than the people who consume at them. Zinczenko, a popular opinion leader in areas such as healthcare, exercise, diet, and weight loss, acknowledges that he was one of such children. Zinczenko’s father had left them, and his mother had to toil all day long to address the arising needs (par. 3).
His choices for lunch and dinner included Taco Bell, McDonald’s, and KFC. However, he found success in making positive changes to his lifestyle when he enrolled in college and left to join the Navy Reserves. He concedes that not much has changed in the intervening years and that these are still the places where young people buy cheap food. The relevance of this article lies in its proof that overweight or obese people are at risk for suffering health problems like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and several types of cancer. It is important for doctors to be sensitive to their obese patients’ feelings and avoid placing the blame for their weight gain on them. The author’s affirmations are akin to Porter’s assertion that programs that aid in reducing caloric intake and encouraging long-term shifts in dietary and physical activity habits should be implemented (125).