In moments of crisis, scandal, or public outrage, we often hear leaders speak in the language of values. They invoke words like “transparency,” “compassion,” or “fairness,” signaling a moral compass that seems to align with public expectation. But too often, these ethical appeals operate less as commitments to justice and more as protective performances. The rhetoric is lofty, but the outcomes are evasive.
This phenomenon—what we might call ethical posturing—has become a core feature of modern political communication. It is not about leading with values, but about appearing to do so. Through the lens of problematization, this article unpacks how morality is increasingly deployed as a public relations strategy—used to soothe, defer, and redirect rather than to reckon, repair, or reform…
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