[{Image src='Babyelefant-wodak_rheindorf.jpg' caption='' height='450' alt='' class='image_left'}]
!!Babyelefant und Hausverstand (Baby elephant and common sense)
!By Ruth Wodak
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__A new publication by [Professor Ruth Wodak|Member/Wodak_Ruth] MAE (with Markus Rheindorf), Emeritus Distinguished Professor and Chair in Discourse Studies in the Department of Linguistics and English Language at [Lancaster University|https://www.lancaster.ac.uk] and Professor in Linguistics at the [University of Vienna|https://www.univie.ac.at/en]. __
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An analysis of the orchestration and management of crises in Austria in comparison with other European countries (especially Germany, Great Britain, Italy, and Spain) based on extensive qualitative and quantitative studies. The COVID-19 crisis reveals how ministries, government agencies, and academia attempt to manage the crisis from their own perspective, creating an overall picture of almost astonishing incompetence.
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Far-right parties like the FPÖ in Austria were able to skillfully exploit the communicative failures of the political establishment. In the course of the anti-vaccine campaign, fascist themes became part of the "normal" discourse, ranging from the supposedly "healthy national body" to outright antisemitism. The debate surrounding mandatory vaccination also explains why the FPÖ emerged as a winner from the crisis after the law was abolished in the summer of 2022 and has since consistently led in elections and opinion polls.
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Democratic politicians could learn from their mistakes. This book would help them do so.
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__ISBN:__ 978-3-7117-3506-5\\
__Publication date:__ March 2026
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__German text:__
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Eine Analyse der Inszenierung und Gestaltung von Krisen in Österreich im Vergleich mit anderen europäischen Staaten (insbesondere Deutschland, Großbritannien, Italien, Spanien) auf der Basis von breit angelegten qualitativen und quantitativen Studien. In der Corona-Krise zeigt sich, wie Akteure aus Ministerien, Ämtern und der Wissenschaft versuchen, die Krise aus eigener Sicht zu steuern, wobei ein Gesamtbild von geradezu erstaunlicher Inkompetenz entsteht.
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Rechtsaußenparteien wie die FPÖ in Österreich konnten das kommunikative Versagen der Politik geschickt ausnützen. Im Zuge der Anti-Impf-Kampagne wurden faschistische Themen Teil des »normalen« Diskurses, vom angeblich »gesunden Volkskörper« bis zum offenen Antisemitismus. Die Debatte zur Impfpflicht erklärt auch, warum die FPÖ nach Abschaffung des Gesetzes im Sommer 2022 als Gewinner aus der Krise hervorging und seither bei Wahlen ebenso wie bei Meinungsumfragen an erster Stelle liegt.
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Demokratische Politiker könnten aus ihren Fehlern lernen. Dieses Buch stünde ihnen dabei zur Seite.
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[{Image src='Wodak_Ruth.jpg' caption='' height='200' alt='Ruth Wodak' class='image_left'}]
!About Ruth Wodak

Ruth Wodak is an Austrian linguist, who is Emeritus Distinguished Professor and Chair in Discourse Studies in the Department of Linguistics and English Language at Lancaster University and Professor in Linguistics at the University of Vienna. Prof. Wodak was elected as member of the Linguistic studies section in 2010.
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Prof. Wodak's research is predominantly rooted in discourse studies and in critical discourse analysis. Together with former colleagues and some of her early Ph.D. students in Vienna, she elaborated the Discourse Historical Approach, an interdisciplinary, problem-oriented approach to analysing the change of discursive practices over time and in various genres. 
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