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Entropa

Rhetoric of parody and provocation
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Abstract

Entropa, the controversial installation for the 2009 Czech EU-presidency, may be seen as a hoax and a provocation, but how are we to evaluate its potential for creating public debate in and about the EU? And what may this case indicate about the deliberative potential of hoaxes and similar provocative tools more generally? In exploring these issues we argue that Entropa performs ambiguous functions. It is parody and protest, official utterance and oppositional comment, support for and critique of the EU. This ambiguity creates fruitful, but also wavering discussion. Černý’s own explanation of Entropa points to what is at stake: “We wanted to find out if Europe is able to laugh at itself.” The results of this experiment remain unclear.

Abstract

Entropa, the controversial installation for the 2009 Czech EU-presidency, may be seen as a hoax and a provocation, but how are we to evaluate its potential for creating public debate in and about the EU? And what may this case indicate about the deliberative potential of hoaxes and similar provocative tools more generally? In exploring these issues we argue that Entropa performs ambiguous functions. It is parody and protest, official utterance and oppositional comment, support for and critique of the EU. This ambiguity creates fruitful, but also wavering discussion. Černý’s own explanation of Entropa points to what is at stake: “We wanted to find out if Europe is able to laugh at itself.” The results of this experiment remain unclear.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of authors vii
  4. Introduction
  5. Let’s talk politics 3
  6. Part I. Theory
  7. Aristotle on deliberation 13
  8. More than a nice ritual 27
  9. Cultural diversity, globalization, and political correctness 45
  10. Part II. Cases
  11. Dialogic voices 63
  12. Prosodic enhancers of humorous effect in political speeches 81
  13. Correlative markers in EU-parliamentary French debate 99
  14. British Prime Minister David Cameron’s apology for Bloody Sunday 115
  15. Entropa 131
  16. US National Security Strategy 149
  17. The Bridge 171
  18. Learning to differ 185
  19. Name index 205
  20. Subject index 207
Let's talk politics
This chapter is in the book Let's talk politics
https://doi.org/10.1075/aic.6.08ber

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of authors vii
  4. Introduction
  5. Let’s talk politics 3
  6. Part I. Theory
  7. Aristotle on deliberation 13
  8. More than a nice ritual 27
  9. Cultural diversity, globalization, and political correctness 45
  10. Part II. Cases
  11. Dialogic voices 63
  12. Prosodic enhancers of humorous effect in political speeches 81
  13. Correlative markers in EU-parliamentary French debate 99
  14. British Prime Minister David Cameron’s apology for Bloody Sunday 115
  15. Entropa 131
  16. US National Security Strategy 149
  17. The Bridge 171
  18. Learning to differ 185
  19. Name index 205
  20. Subject index 207
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