Graduation Term
Spring 2025
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
School of Communication
Committee Chair
Joseph Zompetti
Committee Member
John Baldwin
Committee Member
Steve Rahko
Abstract
This study examines the rhetorical strategies used by coup leaders in Francophone Africa to authorize their actions and garner public support. Focusing on recent military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since 2020, I investigate how coup leaders construct narratives of legitimacy within the context of contemporary geopolitical dynamics. I utilize Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to analyze speeches by three key coup leaders: Colonel Assimi Goïta, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, and General Abdourahamane Tchiani. My analysis reveals four interconnected rhetorical frameworks: framing interventions as emergency measures, cultivating savior personas, weaponizing anti-colonial grievances, and deploying anti-corruption narratives. A comparative analysis of the rhetorical approaches used by the coup leaders reveals both similarities and divergences in their legitimization tactics. Common themes include appeals to national sovereignty, critiques of neo-colonial influence, and promises of improved security and governance. However, each leader tailors their rhetoric to address specific local grievances and historical contexts. The findings have implications for policymakers and international actors working to promote democratic consolidation and prevent future military interventions in the region.
Access Type
Thesis-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Asare Kwakye, Isaac, "I Am Not a Dictator; I Am a Defender: The Rhetoric of Coup d’État in Francophone Africa" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 2090.
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/etd/2090
Included in
African Studies Commons, Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, International and Intercultural Communication Commons, International Relations Commons, Other Political Science Commons, Political Theory Commons, Social Influence and Political Communication Commons, Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons, Theory and Criticism Commons
