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The Use and Function of Collective Trauma in Securitizing Acts the Role of Collective Traumas in Securitization in the American Gun Debate

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The Use and Function of Collective Trauma in Securitizing Acts the Role of Collective Traumas in Securitization in the American Gun Debate Master Thesis The Use and Function of Collective Trauma in Securitizing Acts The Role of Collective Traumas in Securitization in the American Gun Debate Jordi Nahumury S1605895 09-06-2016 Thesis Supervisor: Drs. C.W. Hijzen MA Second Reader: J.P. Sabou MSc Words: 36.600 (excl. Appendix) 1 | TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Academic and societal relevance ................................................................................. 6 1.2 Research question ........................................................................................................ 7 1.3 Reading guide .............................................................................................................. 7 BODY OF KNOWLEDGE ....................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Securitization ............................................................................................................... 8 2.1.1 Components of a securitizing act ......................................................................... 9 2.1.2 Defining the concept of securitization ............................................................... 10 2.1.3 Basic elements for success, intersubjectivity and additional facilitating conditions ........................................................................................................... 12 2.1.4 The role of context and audience ....................................................................... 14 2.2 Collective memory .................................................................................................... 16 2.2.1 Presentism vs. path dependency ......................................................................... 17 2.2.2 Cultural memory and other terminology ............................................................ 18 2.2.3 Collective memory, social context and the audience ......................................... 18 2.3 Trauma ....................................................................................................................... 19 2.3.1 Historical origins of trauma ............................................................................... 19 2.3.2 Collective forms of trauma ................................................................................. 20 2.3.3 Collective trauma and securitization ................................................................. 22 2.4 United States gun politics .......................................................................................... 23 2.4.1 Policy development and legislation .................................................................... 24 2.4.2 The two sides of the debate and the cultural groundings of their attitudes ....... 26 RESEARCH DESIGN ............................................................................................................ 30 3.1 Operationalisation ...................................................................................................... 30 3.1.1 Concepts and definitions .................................................................................... 30 3.1.2 Indicators for the concept of securitization ........................................................ 31 2 | 3.1.3 Indicators for the concept of collective trauma ................................................. 32 3.1.4 Type of research ................................................................................................. 35 3.1.5 Methodology ....................................................................................................... 36 3.2 Case study .................................................................................................................. 38 3.2.1 Type .................................................................................................................... 38 3.2.2 Sampling and legitimation ................................................................................. 39 3.2.3 Data collection ................................................................................................... 39 ANALYSIS AND RESULTS ................................................................................................. 42 4.1 Findings and analysis................................................................................................. 42 4.1.1 First unit of analysis: Period around the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 (Jan. 24, 2013) and the Manchin-Toomey Amendment (Apr. 11, 2013) ........... 43 4.1.2 Second unit of analysis: Washington Navy Yard shooting (Sept. 16, 2013) ..... 48 4.1.3 Third unit of analysis: Charleston Church shooting (June 18, 2015) ................. 53 4.1.4 Fourth unit of analysis: 2015 Chattanooga shootings (July 16, 2015) ............... 58 4.1.5 Fifth unit of analysis: San Bernardino attack (Dec. 2, 2015) ............................. 61 4.1.6 Sixth unit of analysis: Policy for the future (Early 2016) .................................. 66 CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION ..................................................................................... 71 5.1 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 71 5.1.1 Answering the research question ........................................................................ 71 5.1.2 Reflections .......................................................................................................... 74 5.2 Discussion .................................................................................................................. 76 5.2.1 Insights and practical recommendations ............................................................ 76 5.2.2 Strengths, limitations and recommendations for further research ...................... 78 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................ 80 APPENDIX .............................................................................................................................. 87 A. Texts of the first unit of analysis ............................................................................ 87 B. Texts of the second unit of analysis ..................................................................... 118 C. Texts of the third unit of analysis ........................................................................ 144 D. Texts of the fourth unit of analysis ...................................................................... 167 E. Texts of the fifth unit of analysis ......................................................................... 193 F. Texts of the sixth unit of analysis ........................................................................ 211 3 | LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 An overview of the units of analysis and data collection of both sides 41 Table 4.1 An overview of the securitizing texts of the first unit of analysis 43 Table 4.2 An overview of the securitizing texts of the second unit of analysis 48 Table 4.3 An overview of the securitizing texts of the third unit of analysis 53 Table 4.4 An overview of the securitizing texts of the fourth unit of analysis 59 Table 4.5 An overview of the securitizing texts of the fifth unit of analysis 61 Table 4.6 An overview of the securitizing texts of the sixth unit of analysis 69 4 | 1 INTRODUCTION “That’s why we’re here today. Not to debate the last mass shooting, but to do something to try to prevent the next one. (Applause.) To prove that the vast majority of Americans, even if our voices aren’t always the loudest or most extreme, care enough about a little boy like Daniel [Barden, shot and killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting,] to come together and take common-sense steps to save lives and protect more of our children.” - Barack Obama, January 5, 2016 (The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, 2016, January 5) - The strategic, political practice of securitization takes place in a situation where the future is undetermined and still subject of debate. It is a practice where the audience has to be convinced that a certain issue poses a threat that is serious enough to impose a certain policy action (Balzacq, 2005, p. 173). Politicians with diverging beliefs, ideas, and understandings of the past try to perform their securitizing act successfully, thereby competing with conflicting moves by their political opponents. In a single political debate, multiple issues can be presented by various securitizing actors as an existential threat, combined with different policy or legislative solutions. To win over the public and make their political battles relatively easier with the backing of democratic support, politicians have to find ways to optimize their securitization efforts and to approach the audience the right way. The quote of President Barack Obama at the beginning of this chapter is part of a larger speech act, where he tries to securitize the ineffectiveness of current gun legislation. These particular sentences are part of his effort to get the support from the American people for the changes he wants to implement in American gun legislation. The quote shows his use of a collective trauma to win over the people. He makes his appeal to the public by referring to the tragic case
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