Paving the Way for Violence: The Discourse around Drones in the United States of America

Abstract

The use of Remotely Piloted Vehicles, or Drones, has increased in the past few years. The purpose of this study is to assess the official discourse, invoked by the United States government, around drones and analyze them through the frames and theoretical perspectives. Using critical discourse analysis, by examining speeches and remarks given by the White House administration, I analyze those official narratives and develop an understanding of how language is used in these instances. In particular I examine how the official discourse legitimizes the use of violence via social death.