The reconstruction of national identity following tragic events

Abstract

When large-scale tragedies occur in the United States, the national identity is shaken. Immediately after the event, as well as on anniversaries of the tragedy, the media work to reconstruct that identity in their editorial pages. I analyze several sets of editorials written immediately after and on the anniversaries of three American tragedies: the Oklahoma City bombing, the September 11 attacks, and Hurricane Katrina. In this project, I argue that the media use several methods of identity reconstruction following national tragic events. The analysis demonstrates that the media reconstruct national identity by using language to bind citizens to one another, by separating "real" Americans from everyone else, by affirming American values, by reprimanding those who stray from American ideals, and by sustaining the belief in American Exceptionalism.