Date of Award
8-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Bryan Denham
Committee Member
Dr. Ufuk Ersoy
Committee Member
Dr. David Blakesley
Committee Member
Dr. Kelley Coblentz Bautch
Abstract
What makes flattery so persuasive? An analysis of three speeches from contemporary popes, preeminent leaders in the Catholic Church, finds strategic use of compliments, emotional language, and ideas about human dignity. These approaches can persuade world leaders and institutions such as the United Nations and the United States Congress to act morally and responsibly. Flattery can encourage ethical action and reduce the feeling of emergency, creating an enduring, complex dynamic of power that is seen at many levels of narrative.
Recommended Citation
Wilkosz, Gabrielle, "The Rhetoric of Flattery: Embodiment and Persuasion in Papal Discourse" (2026). All Dissertations. 4341.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/4341
Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0002-3947-0435