Territorial appeals Ronald Reid's Three Topoi

1 territorial appeals

1.1 expansionism
1.2 encroachment appeals
1.3 metaphysical appeals

territorial appeals

territorial appeals “taps ‘lower’ instincts share animal kingdom. animal species “mark off units of physical space” “theirs” , fight retain space, “many countries, led u.s., have developed global sense of territoriality.” result, nations “regard physical space property” , prepared defend property. object of territorial appeal gain support war convincing audience country in danger. countries more willing support war when feel land threatened. “a defending animal’s willingness fight correlates extent territory invaded,” human s willingness fight correlates extent country threatened.

expansionism

territorial appeals used portray “expansionism defensive depicting response existing outside threat or honorable effort recover territory” unfairly taken. thus, through territorial appeal, “even unjustified american imperialism…can characterized defensive.”

encroachment appeals

encroachment appeals reminiscent of domino theory. “narrating recent ‘encroachments’ along frontier,” orator proposes these seemingly isolated attacks part of bigger takeover conspiracy.

metaphysical appeals

there ideas/virtues countries assume property. “a populace may motivated embark upon course of war because of threat posed national ideals competing ideology. therefore, orator can demonstrate metaphysical territorial appeal showing threat these ideals.