Persuasion Strategies Employed by Anti Terrorists in Twitter Accounts to Incite Hostility Toward Terrorist Groups

• Main Authors: Radzuwan, Ab Rashid, Siti Nur Amalina A‘dilah, Muhamad, Muhammad Nazrin, Zakaria
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: H Social Sciences (General); HB Economic Theory
• Online Access: http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/720/1/FH03-FBK-17-09264.pdf; http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/720/

This paper is a study on Twitter rhetoric and digital persuasion. It employs both Aristotelian Rhetorical Theory and Electronic Eloquence Model as theoretical framework. We explored how these individuals/ groups use their platform (Twitter) to raise support for their cause. Data were gathered from 2 anti-terrorists Twitters that are purposely chosen as they have a large number of followers and that all of their Tweets touch upon anti- terrorism, 50 most recent Tweets to the date of 12nd November 2015 were collected and analyzed. The analysis shows a large number of Pathos being used in these Twitter accounts and a number of characteristics highlighted by the electronic eloquence model especially synoptic were identified in the Tweets.. The analysis also shows that the limitations presented by Twitter's letter count are overcome by the use of concise emotional rhetoric and the hash tag (#) system that summarizes a point and links it to a much bigger idea.