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Article published In: Journal of Language Aggression and Conflict
Vol. 13:2 (2025) ► pp.302–334

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Stuck between group and transgression

An analysis of the strategic utilization of stance to navigate in-group condemnations

ORCiD logo with link | Ashkelon Academic College
Published online: 29 April 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jlac.00108.fri
Abstract
This study examines how politicians navigate the challenge of publicly condemning transgressions committed by members of their in-group. Examining ten transgressions committed by Israeli political actors which attracted public attention, the study engages in a discourse analysis of politicians’ posts, illustrating eight discursive strategies for coping with this challenge. It utilizes Du Bois’ stance triangle to illustrate how politicians navigate conflicting affiliations to their in-group and to public values. While certain types of in-group condemnations illustrate an adherence to public values at the expense of group cohesion, other types of downgraded condemnations demonstrate how group affiliation trumps value-affiliation. The study illustrates that the prevalence of downgraded in-group condemnations is indicative of extreme polarization at the expense of “statism”–an increasing trend in Israel in recent years.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Stancetaking and condemnations
    • 1.2The complexity of stancetaking in in-group condemnation
    • 1.3X as platform for political speech acts
    • 1.4Research purpose
    • 1.5Case study
  • 2.Method
  • 3.Analysis
    • 3.1Direct condemnation
      • 3.1.1Unequivocal condemnation
      • 3.1.2Unacceptable acts
    • 3.2Adopting an instrumental perspective
      • 3.2.1Prevents the security forces from doing their jobs
      • 3.2.2Gift to opponents
    • 3.3Adopting a responsibility discourse
      • 3.3.1Elected officials have a responsibility
      • 3.3.2Using the transgression as a “teachable moment”
    • 3.4Distinction between illegitimate words and legitimate ideology
      • 3.4.1Arguing the distinction between words and ideology
      • 3.4.2Enacting that ideology properly
    • 3.5Focusing on the transgressor’s route to self-correction
      • 3.5.1The process that the transgressor should take
      • 3.5.2Direct call to the transgressor to apologize
      • 3.5.3The transgressor apologized
    • 3.6Attempts to minimize the transgression
      • 3.6.1Euphemization
      • 3.6.2Bothsidesism
      • 3.6.3Bigger elsewhere
    • 3.7Alignment with or distancing from the transgressors or victims
      • 3.7.1Standing with the victims
      • 3.7.2Disagree with the victim on everything, but…
      • 3.7.3Statement of proximity with transgressor
      • 3.7.4Disassociation with the transgressor
      • 3.7.5Not who we are
  • 4.Discussion
  • Acknowledgment
  • Notes
  • References
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