Cross-Cultural Blog

Bhutto’s speech after her attempted assassination used a variety of logos, pathos, and ethos to convey to her audience her frustration with the inefficiencies of the infrastructure of the parade, but also served to calm and allay the fears of her people. Her repeated point that it would not have been a Muslim that did this to her served to make sure that no one would jump to unnecessary conclusions about Islam. This also served as a call to her attempted killers, by highlighting that an attempt on a woman’s life defies the true tenets of the Islamic religion.
When she makes her speech, it appears that she is just in a crowd of the people that she serves. She’s not elevated at all, and it doesn’t seem like she is trying to address the international community. Her word choice was very simple and concise, which was effective for the audience she was trying to reach; the people of Pakistan. She showed no fear and was very calm, two characteristics she represented through both her voice and body language. There was a sense of urgency in her speech --- it was evident to the audience through her tone that she had just survived an assassination attempt and while it was still fresh in everyone’s mind, she was addressing their concerns. This was an effective leadership strategy, because when her people needed her the most she addressed the problem. The speech sounded very genuine and impromptu; there was not a lot of politics in her speech.

Transformation of a Tragedy: How 9/11 Was Used to Manipulate Public Opinion
Molly Spaeth
My research topic is about how the mass media and George W. Bush used rhetoric to transform 9/11 from a national tragedy into a political tool. This topic is applicable because the attempted assassination of Benazir Bhutto was also viewed as a national tragedy, but I noted definite differences between how Bhutto reacted to an attack on her nation (I view an attack on the Prime Minister comparable to an attack on the nation) and how Bush and Giuliani responded to 9/11. It is interesting to note the differences in the reactions of the leaders, and how they employed different rhetorical strategies in each of their reactions. There are some devices Bhutto employed in her speech (i.e., being around common people, speaking from a non-elevated venue) that would not be as effective in the United States. For example, after 9/11 Americans needed to see a strong and prominent leader, and Bush was showcased numerous times on a grand venue and in an elevated position to show that America was still strong.

The ERA and the Potential End of the Chauvinist ERA
Jon Spivack
I’m taking a look at contemporary battles for women’s rights in the United States, with an emphasis on the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution (which was never passed). Specifically, I plan to look at the rhetoric that has surrounded the issue throughout the years and the strong women who have embodied it. Benazir Bhutto exemplifies strong female leadership and thus makes an interesting contrast to American women, who, despite enjoying more societal respect than Pakistani women, have yet to occupy a position as esteemed as Prime Minister.

The Evolution of Madrassahs: Answer the Question of Legitimacy
Kavita Shah
My research topic is about the controversy that surrounds the madrassah education system. I plan to look at Western rhetoric in order to see if it has been influential in changing the global view of madrassahs and compare that to the rhetoric from madrassah teachers and students so that I may find any discrepancies. Through this I hope to come to some conclusion about whether or not madrassahs are a legitimate source of education for children and if so, why is much of the West against their existence. This topic is very much tied to Benazir Bhutto’s speech since she repeatedly states that the attackers were not Muslims. She reiterates this because she knows that there is a growing fear of Islam in the international community and that these attackers misrepresent true Islam. Through my research, I also hope to address this fear because communication and change will only be possible once the West understands what Islam is really about.