Metaphor and Argumentation in Climate Crisis Discourse

Anaïs Augé is a research fellow and lecturer at the University of Louvain (Belgium), Institute of Political Sciences Louvain-Europe. Her research is notably published in Environmental Communication (doi: 10.1080/17524032.2021.1890174) and Metaphor & Symbol (doi: 10.1080/10926488.2019.1683949). She is the co-editor of the International Journal of Language and Culture.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1: Conceptualisations of the environment

1.1. Introduction

1.2. The complexity of the climate crisis and its metaphors

1.3. Metaphorical arguments in discourse: Narratives and Scenarios

1.4. Overview of the content

Chapter 2: Cognitive bias and argumentation: the personification of the environment

2.1. Introduction

2.2. The ORGANS and BODY COMPONENTS of the environment

2.3. The HEALTH of the planet

2.4. NATURE AS A PERSON

2.5. Summary

Chapter 3: The role of metaphors in the climate change debate: the political relevance of the topic

3.1. Introduction

3.2. The metaphor of the Cathedral

3.3. The conceptualisation of ANTAGONISTIC RELATIONSHIPS

3.4. ACTIVISM AS A (FAKE) RELIGION

3.5. Summary

Chapter 4: Metaphors in argumentative texts: a corpus study

4.1. Introduction

4.2. Metaphors and literary genres: from science to (social) media

4.3. Metaphors in corpus: a case study

4.4. Argumentation through metaphorical exploitation: the selection of data

4.5. Summary

Chapter 5: Metaphors of environmental optimism: climate change mitigation

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Green politics: COP26, a journey to a cleaner, greener future

5,3, Green solutions? Nuclear power and the "Rainforest Chernobyl"

5.5. Green solutions or greenwashing? The misuse of optimistic metaphors

5.6. Summary

Chapter 6: Metaphors of environmental pessimism: uncontrollable climate crisis

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Activism through metaphor: "There is no Planet B"

6.3. Activism or alarmism? Misrepresentation of activists and "deniers"

6.4. Scientific uncertainties: "Incriminating fingerprint"

6.5. Summary

Chapter 7: Global climate (in)justice: metaphorical emphasis on responsibilities

7.1. Introduction

7.2. Debates over (inter-)national responsibilities: the greenhouse world

7.3. Climate justice: definition(s)

7.4. Legal implications: ecocide and eco-terrorism

7.5. Summary

Chapter 8: "Earth to COP": international dialogue with the Most Affected People and Areas (MAPA)

8.1. Introduction

8.2. The need to change international discourse about the climate crisis: "words can reframe worlds"

8.3. Promotion of cultures and traditions: the survival of the lands and the survival of the communities

8.4. The "North-South" Divide

8.5. Summary

Chapter 9: Climate justice: overlapping crises in metaphorical discourse

9.1. Introduction

9.2. "The climate crisis is not gender neutral": metaphors of ecofeminism

9.3. "Climate change is racist": metaphorical views on environmental racism

9.4. "Let’s talk about climate migrants, not climate refugees": overlapping discourses and metaphors

9.5. Summary

Chapter 10: Conclusion

10.1. Introduction

10.2. Arguments through metaphors in climate crisis discourse

10.3. Local climate crises: promotion of global solidarity

10.4. Further perspectives: activism, artivism, and the role of controversies

Index