The Ethos of the Irish Nationalist Party Sinn Féin: Rhetorical analysis of Michelle O'Neill's speeches contrasted with the ethos generated by the media

Abstract

Central to my thesis is the concept of ethos, which is generally defined as "the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution". My thesis investigates various speeches made by Michelle O'Neill, Vice President and leader of Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland, in order to identify the ethos of the politician, i.e. the way in which she represents herself, and to compare it with the ethos of the party, i.e. the image that the party has of itself. I will then analyse the representation of Michelle O'Neill in a local newspaper in order to compare the politician's image with that created by external actors such as the Northern Irish press.