Why Do People Really Rally? Context, Actors, Meaning, and Emotions

This chapter presents the theoretical framework used for the analysis of rallies in this book. It opens with the assertion that at the most elemental level, the rally phenomenon occurs because most people are fundamentally committed to maintaining the positive symbolic value of their nation. A section discussing honor and prestige as the two components of the perceived collective symbolic value of the nation is followed by a section discussing how military confrontations turn into struggles for national honor and prestige. The next section discusses the emotions that drive individuals to rally around the flag and describes the meaning-making that evokes these emotions. The following sections discuss the role of three actors that jointly steer emotions in the public during rally periods: the media, national enemies, and the US president.