Maria Isaksson

Isaksson, Maria & Solvoll, Mona K (2022)

The rhetoric of the Norwegian government and health authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Journal of Communication Management Doi: 10.1108/JCOM-08-2022-0100

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the identification and collaboration rhetoric of the Norwegian government and public health authorities during the pandemic. The aim is to show whether and how actors use strategies and themes of identification, and whether they build identification with their publics. Design/methodology/approach The study combines qualitative and quantitative methods. Six identification strategies were identified through manual text analysis of press statements; word counts of each strategy were registered electronically to access quantitative data of individual actors. Findings The three strategies reflecting values, the two strategies reflecting division and disagreement and the strategy reflecting change showed almost equal frequencies. The strategy of shaping community, serving the function of change, and the division strategy, demonstrating identification through dissociation, were the most frequent strategies. Politicians preferred the collaboration strategy, while health experts preferred the strategy of concern and recognition. Originality/value The six identification strategies extend the understanding of leadership crisis communication and contemporary rhetoric as community-building discourse aiming for speaker–audience collaboration. The study demonstrates that division and disagreement are equally essential components of crisis communication as values and change. When actors differ in choice of strategy, themes and publics, they may still come across as coordinated and unified in their calls for solidarity, collective efforts and common understanding.

Isaksson, Maria & Flyvholm Jørgensen, Poul Erik (2018)

Connecting with Citizens. The Emotional Rhetoric of Norwegian and Danish Municipal Websites

Nordicom Review, 39(1), s. 111- 128. Doi: 10.2478/nor-2018-0005 - Full text in research archive

This article suggests that current research on the use of new digital technologies by the public sector should move beyond its focus on their facility for e-government and e-democracy. It is important to observe that the same technologies can also be a resource for developing public enthusiasm and identification with local authorities by adopting a rhetoric of friendship. The backdrop of the study is the forthcoming Norwegian reform of municipal structure, informed by a similar reform in Denmark in 2006/2007. If Norway, like Denmark, significantly reduces its number of municipalities, the majority of municipalities will undergo significant change and risk losing citizens’ sense of local identity. Each new municipality will need to create meaningful community building to ease the public’s fear of losing their good life. The study examines how municipalities reach out to connect with their publics, and whether they employ emotional and engaging discourse to achieve this. Our data consist of twenty Norwegian and twenty Danish municipal websites.

Isaksson, Maria (2016)

Ytringsanstendighet. Norsk utenrikspolitikk i møte med moskéens retoriske ytringsrom

Alm, Kristian; Brown, Richard Mark & Røyseng, Sigrid (red.). Kommunikasjon og ytringsfrihet i organisasjoner

Jørgensen, Poul Erik Flyvholm & Isaksson, Maria (2015)

The compassionate organisation: Contesting the rhetoric of goodwill in public sector value statements

International Journal of Public Sector Management, 28(1), s. 72- 83. Doi: 10.1108/IJPSM-09-2013-0132

Isaksson, Maria (2011)

Talets gyllene ögonblick. Retorik för fest och politik – en norsk och amerikansk fallstudie

Drønen, Tomas Sundnes; Fretheim, Kjetil & Skjortnes, Marianne (red.). Forståelsens gylne øyeblikk : festskrift til Øyvind Dahl

Isaksson, Maria (2021)

Collaboration rhetoric of the Norwegian Government and Health Authorities during the Corona Crisis

[Academic lecture]. Euprera 2021 Annual Congress.

Isaksson, Maria (2018)

Beyond idealized visions? A longitudinal study of visionary leadership rhetoric.

[Academic lecture]. EUPRERA 2018.

Bang, Tor & Isaksson, Maria (2017)

The Listhaug Doctrine: A Strict and Fair Immigration Policy?

[Academic lecture]. The Sixth “Rhetoric in Society” Conference of the RSE.

Isaksson, Maria & Jørgensen, Flyvholm, Poul Erik (2016)

Brexit: Coming to Terms with a Dominant Rhetoric of Fear.

[Academic lecture]. Media and Politics in Times of Crisis and Change.

Svennevig, Jan & Isaksson, Maria (2014)

Språk, retorikk og ledelse

Brønn, Peggy Simcic & Arnulf, Jan Ketil (red.). Kommunikasjon for ledere og organisasjoner