Paradigmatic and Syntagmatic Approaches to the Obama Presidency (original) (raw)

This essay investigates two distinct analytical approaches to understanding the Obama presidency—paradigmatic and syntagmatic—by examining several scholarly works. The syntagmatic approach focuses on systemic racism and the media's role in shaping perceptions of Obama, while the paradigmatic approach seeks to revive forgotten theoretical frameworks to interpret his political significance. Ultimately, the paper argues for the fecundity of these rhetorical strategies in yielding new insights into presidential rhetoric and its broader implications for American democracy.