Open AccessChina’s images in the State of the Union Address, 1973-2020
Author(s) -
Mateus de Paula Narciso Rocha,
Andréa Maria Narciso Rocha de Paula
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
brazilian journal of international relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2237-7743
DOI - 10.36311/2237-7743.2020.v9n3.p585-603
Subject(s) - china , axiology , representation (politics) , context (archaeology) , state (computer science) , content analysis , focus (optics) , political science , image (mathematics) , foreign policy , european union , linguistics , sociology , computer science , politics , history , social science , economics , law , philosophy , artificial intelligence , international trade , algorithm , physics , archaeology , optics
This paper discusses how China was represented in the State of The Union Address between 1973 and 2020. The hypothesis is that China’s image has undergone qualitative changes and that shifting the party in the White House is not a sufficient condition to transform this representation. It is employed the content analysis to map the frequency of the word ‘China’ and to analyze the discursive context of its apparition. The mentions are evaluated according to three variables: axiology (positive, negative, or mixed), discursive focus (direct or indirect), and frequency of mentions. Four discursive paradigms, or periods in which the image was qualitatively stable, are identified and discussed. The analysis showed that external shocks have an important impact on changing China’s image and that these representations usually signalize actual priorities of US foreign policy.