Representation of the toxic image of politicians in the media space of the USA, Great Britain and Ukraine

Abstract

The article attempts to define culturally specific features of the representation of the toxic image of politicians in the media space of the United States, Great Britain and Ukraine. The object of research are media discourses of the United States, Great Britain and Ukraine; the subject of analysis are culturally specific (verbal, nonverbal, extralingual) forms of expressing toxicity as components of the image of modern American, British and Ukrainian politicians. Toxic image means such an emotionally colored image of a politician in the media, whose behavior and statements are aimed at discriminating against the addressee and are the result of the perception of such a politician usually by members of the opposite socio-political group. Verbal forms of expressing toxicity (verbal toxins) include racist, nationalist, xenophobic, sexist and other discriminatory (divisive) statements that degrade the personality of a political opponent and cause him or her psychological harm and/or damage their image. Non-verbal forms of expressing toxicity are divided into prosodic and gesturalmimic forms, which include aggressive, caustic, humiliatingly paternalistic, snobbish tone of speech, gestures that violate the personal boundaries of the interlocutor, exaggerated facial expressions. Extralingual forms include colors, symbols, clothing, location, selection of music, etc., which exacerbate the damaging effect of the actions/statements of a politician who is labelled as toxic in the media. Culturally specific features of the representation of the toxic image of modern American, British and Ukrainian politicians are determined by the relevant information agendas for each of the countries: the electoral struggle of Trump vs. Biden (USA), withdrawal from the European Union (Great Britain), fight against corruption (Ukraine). Common to the three discourses is the aggressive-emotional type of toxic politicians, whose speeches are characterized as causing psychological harm to the opponent through direct insult, the use of impulsive movements of hands, head, body, exaggerated facial expressions and a tendency to dramatization.