Beyond Political Rhetoric and Discourse: What Type of Educational, Socio-Economic, and Political Change Should Educators Expect of President Barack Obama?

This article critically analyzes Obama's singular political victory. The author begins by laying out current racial, socio-economic, educational and political challenges that await President-elect Obama. He goes on to analyze Obama's political discourse and then questions whether or not Ob...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal for critical education policy studies Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 192 - 215
Main Author Orelus, Pierre W
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Institute for Education Policy Studies 01.06.2009
Subjects
African Americans
Change Agents
Connected Discourse
Content Analysis
Males
Political Attitudes
Political Campaigns
Politics
Presidents
Racial Discrimination
Racial Segregation
Rhetoric
Social Change
Social Problems
Speeches
Success
Time Perspective
United States History
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Summary:This article critically analyzes Obama's singular political victory. The author begins by laying out current racial, socio-economic, educational and political challenges that await President-elect Obama. He goes on to analyze Obama's political discourse and then questions whether or not Obama would be able to meet these challenges. The author acknowledges the historic significance of Obama's remarkable victory and states the victory is worth celebrating. However, he argues that Obama's victory does not necessarily guarantee fundamental educational, socio-economic, and political changes, as he is surrounded by many of the same opportunist, conservative and privileged white males who have maintained and profited from the U.S. political system for centuries. The author, therefore, invites people involved in grassroots and progressive socio-political movements to continue to mobilize, organize and use Obama's political slogan "change from the bottom up" to make him accountable for decisions that he would make in the months or years to come.
ISSN:1740-2743