An ongoing debate surrounds the question of whether digital media can promote participatory democracy. A qualitative case study was conducted on Barack Obama’s campaign social networking site, my.barackobama.com, in order to investigate the ways in which the website promotes or discourages participatory democracy. For a rich analysis, the case study drew on various relevant theoretical perspectives, including the concepts of participatory democracy and digital democracy. The case study included a content analysis of the website and interviews with members of groups on the site. The study found that my.barackobama.com promoted political knowledge and non-electoral participation, but failed to promote political discussion and community. Consequently, the recommendations highlighted the importance of an online public sphere. The findings of this case study add to the research literature about the political use of digital media, and they also add new information about Barack Obama’s digital media strategies.

The diploma thesis Development of Relations Between United States and Israel During Obama's Presidency deals with the U.S.-Israeli relations during the two Obama's presidential terms. The thesis analyzes how was the development of the relations affected by Obama and his administration. Main goal was to examine, if Obama succeeded in his election promises from 2008 to keep the above-standard U.S.-Israeli relations and to further strengthen the mutual ties. The author divided the thesis into three main parts. The first part dealt with Obama's term as a Senator and presidential candidate in 2008. Second part examined his first presidential term and the last part covered the time between his reelection in 2013, until April 2015, when the Iran deal was signed. The author pays attention to the milestones of Obama's presidency, such as "The New Beginning" speech in Cairo 2009, where Obama unprecedentedly addressed the Arab states with message of reconciliation between the U.S. and the Arab world. The author also analyzes Obama's visit to Israel in 2013 and assesses the impact on Israeli public opinion on Obama and the United States. In the conclusion, the author answers the research question, claiming that Obama succeeded in keeping the special relationship between the United States and Israel, despite the common...

The thesis "The legitimization of non-intervention in Syria in the U.S. discourse: A discourse analysis of the selected Western speeches between 2011 and 2014" examines the discourse of the President of the United States Barack Obama concerning the Syrian crisis. It focuses on the reasoning that Obama used to explain or even justify his non- interventional approach regarding the crisis in Syria between the years 2011 and 2014. The thesis works with the hypothesis that the United States while justifying non-intervention in Syria, have avoided the geopolitical background of a split in the international community regarding possible solutions to the Syrian conflict. In legitimizing military "non- intervention" they chose another strategy, such as the 'downplaying' strategy, gradually setting out increasingly distant criteria and mitigating emerging threats. To accomplish the established goals the paper used the Narrative Conceptualization Analysis (NCA), as introduced by Shaul Shenhav, that examines the narrative concept through a signified story that consists of at least two events. The NCA largely confirmed the hypothesis. Obama's discourse lacked the geopolitical background. Obama mitigated the threats and set out the increasingly distant criteria, e.g. he claimed the regime of Bashar al-Assad would fall on...

The rhetorical presidency encompasses all the ways a president communicates and acts. These rhetorical elements of the job are not prescribed in the Constitution and as a result it is the presidents themselves who help shape the cultural understanding of presidentiality, of what it means to be president. When President Barack Obama participated in a "Slow Jam the News" comedy sketch on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in 2012, he took the rhetorical presidency to a place it had never been before. This choice established a new genre of presidential rhetoric that President Obama would rely on throughout his time in the White House—communicating directly to target audiences via the YouTube bully pulpit. The aim of this thesis is twofold: first, provide historical context for presidents utilizing comedy and new forms of mass media for political ends; and second, rhetorically analyze select comedic YouTube videos to reveal how President Obama reshaped the rhetorical presidency to create new opportunities to succeed both culturally and politically.

The rhetorical presidency encompasses all the ways a president communicates and acts. These rhetorical elements of the job are not prescribed in the Constitution and as a result it is the presidents themselves who help shape the cultural understanding of presidentiality, of what it means to be president. When President Barack Obama participated in a œSlow Jam the News comedy sketch on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in 2012, he took the rhetorical presidency to a place it had never been before. This choice established a new genre of presidential rhetoric that President Obama would rely on throughout his time in the White House”communicating directly to target audiences via the YouTube bully pulpit. The aim of this thesis is twofold: first, provide historical context for presidents utilizing comedy and new forms of mass media for political ends; and second, rhetorically analyze select comedic YouTube videos to reveal how President Obama reshaped the rhetorical presidency to create new opportunities to succeed both culturally and politically.

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This dissertation examines President Barack Obama as a symbol and his rhetoric through an Afrocentric analytical lens. The problem that prompted my research was the current process (and future probability) of President Barack Obama's image and legacy being drastically revised from the current perceptions held by most who observe him daily. In this study, the researcher utilized an empirical, symbolic, and rhetorical approach to conduct an Afrocentric data analysis. This process included a review of the foundational terms and concepts utilized to express the Afrocentric idea (including Afrocentricity, location, and agency), and ultimately led to new concepts, analytical tools, and theories based on the evidence manifested over the course this study. This text represents an attempt to seize the magnitude of the "Democratic day" that Barack Obama was elected in a way that it could strengthen understanding of the Afrocentric idea. Based upon the analytical foundation of Afrocentricity I presented a methodology described as Beneficial Extraction method that will highlight the information, examples, strategies and attributes that can be utilized, salvaged and implemented for the uplift of African people. My findings include, the need for an increase in the appreciation for incremental progress in the African/African American community and the need to refine the ability to recognize and benefit from multiple and diverse methods of struggle throughout the African Diaspora. / African American Studies