Strategic verbal humour in political leadership: a case study of Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamed

This research is a pioneering exploration into the strategic use of verbal humour by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, a prominent figure in Malaysian politics renowned for his tenure as the twice-elected Prime Minister. Through qualitative content analysis, this study examines excerpts from Tun Dr Maha...

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Main Author: Abdul Latiff, Azmi
Format: Conference or Workshop Item
Language:en
Published: 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12327/1/P17267_48093388b1a4aa0be68ac02bdc0ea8ec.pdf%201.pdf
http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12327/
https:/ /doi.org/10.30880/dils.2024.04.02.004
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author Abdul Latiff, Azmi
author_facet Abdul Latiff, Azmi
author_sort Abdul Latiff, Azmi
building UTHM Library
collection Institutional Repository
content_provider Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
content_source UTHM Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
description This research is a pioneering exploration into the strategic use of verbal humour by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, a prominent figure in Malaysian politics renowned for his tenure as the twice-elected Prime Minister. Through qualitative content analysis, this study examines excerpts from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed's first press conference after being sworn in as Malaysia's seventh Prime Minister to classify the types of verbal humour he employs. The analysis reveals a multifaceted use of humour, encompassing self-deprecating humour, sarcasm, hyperbole, and irony, each serving distinct communicative and rhetorical functions. Importantly, these forms of humour are not used haphazardly but strategically. Self-deprecating humour, for instance, emerges as a tool for human ising the leader, making him more relatable and approachable despite past criticisms of his authoritative leadership style. Sarcasm and hyperbolic humour are identified as mechanisms for critiquing media representation and emphasising political support, effectively challenging prevailing narratives with wit and satire. The irony, interwoven with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed's discourse, subtly underscores the complexities of political communication, media interactions, and public engagement in the Malaysian context. The findings emphasise the complexity of humour as a strategic communication tool in leadership, illustrating its potential to enhance relatability, negotiate public image, and engage in political critique. This paper makes a significant contribution to the existing literature on political communication and leadership by highlighting the nuanced role of humour in political discourse, demonstrating how it can be skillfully deployed to navigate the intricacies of leadership and public perception. Through the lens of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed's political career, this study provides valuable insights into the dynamic interplay between humour, politics, and leadership in a diverse socio-political landscape
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spelling my.uthm.eprints-123272025-05-28T00:29:24Z http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12327/ Strategic verbal humour in political leadership: a case study of Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamed Abdul Latiff, Azmi JA Political science (General) This research is a pioneering exploration into the strategic use of verbal humour by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, a prominent figure in Malaysian politics renowned for his tenure as the twice-elected Prime Minister. Through qualitative content analysis, this study examines excerpts from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed's first press conference after being sworn in as Malaysia's seventh Prime Minister to classify the types of verbal humour he employs. The analysis reveals a multifaceted use of humour, encompassing self-deprecating humour, sarcasm, hyperbole, and irony, each serving distinct communicative and rhetorical functions. Importantly, these forms of humour are not used haphazardly but strategically. Self-deprecating humour, for instance, emerges as a tool for human ising the leader, making him more relatable and approachable despite past criticisms of his authoritative leadership style. Sarcasm and hyperbolic humour are identified as mechanisms for critiquing media representation and emphasising political support, effectively challenging prevailing narratives with wit and satire. The irony, interwoven with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed's discourse, subtly underscores the complexities of political communication, media interactions, and public engagement in the Malaysian context. The findings emphasise the complexity of humour as a strategic communication tool in leadership, illustrating its potential to enhance relatability, negotiate public image, and engage in political critique. This paper makes a significant contribution to the existing literature on political communication and leadership by highlighting the nuanced role of humour in political discourse, demonstrating how it can be skillfully deployed to navigate the intricacies of leadership and public perception. Through the lens of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed's political career, this study provides valuable insights into the dynamic interplay between humour, politics, and leadership in a diverse socio-political landscape 2024-09-17 Conference or Workshop Item PeerReviewed text en http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12327/1/P17267_48093388b1a4aa0be68ac02bdc0ea8ec.pdf%201.pdf Abdul Latiff, Azmi (2024) Strategic verbal humour in political leadership: a case study of Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamed. In: DEVELOPMENT IN LANGUAGE STUDIES. https:/ /doi.org/10.30880/dils.2024.04.02.004
spellingShingle JA Political science (General)
Abdul Latiff, Azmi
Strategic verbal humour in political leadership: a case study of Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamed
title Strategic verbal humour in political leadership: a case study of Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamed
title_full Strategic verbal humour in political leadership: a case study of Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamed
title_fullStr Strategic verbal humour in political leadership: a case study of Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamed
title_full_unstemmed Strategic verbal humour in political leadership: a case study of Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamed
title_short Strategic verbal humour in political leadership: a case study of Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamed
title_sort strategic verbal humour in political leadership: a case study of tun dr. mahathir bin mohamed
topic JA Political science (General)
url http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12327/1/P17267_48093388b1a4aa0be68ac02bdc0ea8ec.pdf%201.pdf
http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12327/
https:/ /doi.org/10.30880/dils.2024.04.02.004
url_provider http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/