Virtue Signaling in Political Communication: US President’s Statements on Civilian Victimization

Fatih Ceylan

Article Details

Virtue Signaling in Political Communication: US President’s Statements on Civilian Victimization

Authors:

Fatih Ceylan

Publisher:

Selcuk University

Main Topics:

İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Selçuk İletişim Vol.18 Issue 2, pp.847-872

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001360151

pISSN:

2148-2942

Keywords:

Abstract:

 This study aims to contribute to the analysis of political discourse in todays contradictory and complex structures by examining statements made by US President Biden regarding civilian victimisation in the IsraeliPalestinian war through the lens of virtue signaling. The study employed a case study approach, a qualitative research design. Data were collected using the archive scanning method. The results of the scans show that President Biden made a total of 41 statements regarding civilian victimisation in the year following the start of the war. In these statements, Biden mostly emphasised themes such as the humanitarian crisis, the protection of civilians, humanitarian aid, the call for a ceasefire and the limitation of military operations. The words he used most frequently were Israel, Hamas and terrorists. It is concluded that all of his statements carried the themescharacteristics of virtue signalling behaviour; that is to say, they are all examples of ostentatious sensitivity behaviour. Furthermore, it is evident that President Bidens statements concerning civilian victimisation in this war are consistent with US foreign policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is thought that this study of virtue signalling behaviour in political communication will contribute to future literature and research in this area.

 This study aims to contribute to the analysis of political discourse in todays contradictory and complex structures by examining statements made by US President Biden regarding civilian victimisation in the IsraeliPalestinian war through the lens of virtue signaling. The study employed a case study approach, a qualitative research design. Data were collected using the archive scanning method. The results of the scans show that President Biden made a total of 41 statements regarding civilian victimisation in the year following the start of the war. In these statements, Biden mostly emphasised themes such as the humanitarian crisis, the protection of civilians, humanitarian aid, the call for a ceasefire and the limitation of military operations. The words he used most frequently were Israel, Hamas and terrorists. It is concluded that all of his statements carried the themescharacteristics of virtue signalling behaviour; that is to say, they are all examples of ostentatious sensitivity behaviour. Furthermore, it is evident that President Bidens statements concerning civilian victimisation in this war are consistent with US foreign policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is thought that this study of virtue signalling behaviour in political communication will contribute to future literature and research in this area.

 This study aims to contribute to the analysis of political discourse in todays contradictory and complex structures by examining statements made by US President Biden regarding civilian victimisation in the IsraeliPalestinian war through the lens of virtue signaling. The study employed a case study approach, a qualitative research design. Data were collected using the archive scanning method. The results of the scans show that President Biden made a total of 41 statements regarding civilian victimisation in the year following the start of the war. In these statements, Biden mostly emphasised themes such as the humanitarian crisis, the protection of civilians, humanitarian aid, the call for a ceasefire and the limitation of military operations. The words he used most frequently were Israel, Hamas and terrorists. It is concluded that all of his statements carried the themescharacteristics of virtue signalling behaviour; that is to say, they are all examples of ostentatious sensitivity behaviour. Furthermore, it is evident that President Bidens statements concerning civilian victimisation in this war are consistent with US foreign policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is thought that this study of virtue signalling behaviour in political communication will contribute to future literature and research in this area.

 Bu çalışmanın amacı, ABD Başkanı Bidenın İsrail-Filistin savaşında, sivil mağduriyetlere yönelik yapmış olduğu açıklamaların gösterişçi duyarlılık kavramı çerçevesinde incelenmesiyle, günümüzde çelişkili ve karmaşık yapıda zuhur edebilen siyasal söylemlerin çözümlenmesine katkıda bulunmaktır. Çalışma nitel araştırma desenlerinden biri olan durumvaka çalışması yöntemiyle yapılmıştır. Çalışmanın verileri arşiv taraması metodu ile toplanmıştır. Yapılan taramalarda sonucu, Başkan Bidenın savaş başladıktan sonraki bir yıllık zaman diliminde sivil mağduriyetlere yönelik toplam 41 açıklama yaptığı görülmüştür. Bidenın açıklamalarında en çok insani kriz, sivillerin korunması, insani yardım, ateşkes çağrısı ve askeri operasyonların sınırlandırılması temalarına vurgu yaptığı ve en yoğun olarak İsrail, Hamas ve teröristler kelimelerini kullandığı görülmüştür. Son olarak gösterişçi duyarlılık bağlamında yapılan analizlerde ise açıklamalarının hepsinin gösterişçi duyarlılık davranışının temalarınıözelliklerini taşıdığı, yani hepsinin birer gösterişçi duyarlılık davranışı olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Ayrıca Başkan Bidenın bu savaşta yaşanan sivil mağduriyetlere yönelik açıklamalarının hepsinin birer gösterişçi duyarlılık davranışı olmasının, İsrail-Filistin sorununa yönelik ABD dış politikasıyla da uyumlu olduğu anlaşılmıştır. Siyasal iletişimde gösterişçi duyarlılık davranışı ile ilgili yapılan bu çalışmanın gelecekte literatüre ve ilgili araştırmacılara katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.

Article Details

Virtue Signaling in Political Communication: US President’s Statements on Civilian Victimization

Authors:

Fatih Ceylan

Publisher:

Selcuk University

Main Topics:

İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Selçuk İletişim Vol.18 Issue 2, pp.847-872

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001360151

pISSN:

2148-2942

Political communication

Virtue signaling

Israel-Palestine war

Civilian victimization

US Ppresident’s statementsSiyasal iletişim

Gösterişçi duyarlılık

İsrail-Filistin savaşı

Sivil mağduriyetleri

ABD başkanının açıklamaları

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Fatih Ceylan

Publisher: Selcuk University

Main Topics: İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal: Selçuk İletişim Vol.18 Issue 2, pp.847-872

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 10/2025

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001360151

pISSN: 2148-2942

Issues

Authors:

Fatih Ceylan

Publisher:

Selcuk University

Main Topics:

İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Selçuk İletişim Vol.18 Issue 2, pp.847-872

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001360151

pISSN:

2148-2942