In my paper, I employ Stuart Hall’s theories of encoding and decoding to analyze a 2007 clip of Glenn Beck speaking about Mexican immigration to the United States. I evaluate his communication from the encoding and decoding of meaning structures to possible positions one might take in decoding these messages, based on those hypothesized by Hall. Ultimately, I argue that by “naturalizing” and tapping into hegemonic discourse on racism, xenophobia, and nationalism, Beck contributes to the adoption of this kind of speech by anti-immigration activists.
The Glenn Beck video can be seen here. My analysis is based on the first three minutes and 49 seconds of the clip.
Beck's rhetoric is reflected in numerous signs from anti-immigrant rallies; here are just a few examples:
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