Political Science

The language of crisis: spatiotemporal effects of COVID-19 pandemic dynamics on health crisis communications by political leaders

B. J. Mandl and B. Y. Reis

This captivating research by Benjamin J. Mandl and Ben Y. Reis analyzes over 1500 speeches from US state governors during the early COVID-19 pandemic. Delving into 4 million words, they reveal how crisis intensity shapes language, showing that as case rates increased, governors adopted stricter and more extreme linguistic patterns. A fascinating look at the interplay between public health communication and the emotional climate amidst a crisis.