A percepção norte-americana de ameaça sob a ótica do ato-discurso: o caso da ascensão do Estado Islâmico (2009-2014)

Abstract

The essay hereby presented submits a study about the securization movement performed by American security actors concerning the actions of the terrorist group known as Islamic State. Public statements made by actors who occupy prominent positions and have the prerogative to use force was made in order to understand how the audience targeted by such actors perceived the threat represented by the Islamic State. The following are surveyed: a) how terrorism became important in the US security agenda and how the war in Iraq facilitated the rise of the Islamic State; b) the concepts and theories developed by the Copenhagen School; c) how Barack Obama convinced his targeted audience that the use of force was necessary to destroy the Islamic State. The following sources are used: official documents, public statements given by government authorities, information available in media vehicles and pertinent books. It is hence determined that the speech-act works as an essential instrument for the successful securitization of a particular subject.