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Straight from the Horse’s Mouth: A Socio-legal Analysis of the Philippine War on Drugs under President Rodrigo Duterte through Stanley Cohen’s States of Denial

Casan, Johari LU (2025) SOLM02 20251
Department of Sociology of Law
Abstract
This study examines the paradoxical public support for President Rodrigo Duterte's War on Drugs (WOD) in the Philippines (2016-2022) despite widespread evidence of human rights violations and extrajudicial killings (EJKs). Through a socio-legal lens and employing Stanley Cohen's "States of Denial" framework, this research analyzes how Duterte's public rhetoric justified, normalized, and legitimized state-sanctioned violence while maintaining significant public acceptance. Using qualitative content analysis (QCA) enhanced by reflexive content analysis (RCA), the study systematically examines a corpus of Duterte's public communications, including speeches, press conferences, and interviews. The findings reveal a sophisticated and... (More)
This study examines the paradoxical public support for President Rodrigo Duterte's War on Drugs (WOD) in the Philippines (2016-2022) despite widespread evidence of human rights violations and extrajudicial killings (EJKs). Through a socio-legal lens and employing Stanley Cohen's "States of Denial" framework, this research analyzes how Duterte's public rhetoric justified, normalized, and legitimized state-sanctioned violence while maintaining significant public acceptance. Using qualitative content analysis (QCA) enhanced by reflexive content analysis (RCA), the study systematically examines a corpus of Duterte's public communications, including speeches, press conferences, and interviews. The findings reveal a sophisticated and interlocking architecture of literal, interpretive, and implicatory denial. These rhetorical strategies reframed violence as a necessary and righteous component of a "just war," dehumanized its victims to neutralize moral objections, and deflected accountability by attacking critics and appealing to higher loyalties like national security and the protection of the youth. This research contributes to the socio-legal understanding of how populist leaders can weaponize official discourse to erode democratic norms and cultivate public consent for extreme violence. It offers critical insights into the intersection of violent populism, political communication, and human rights in contemporary electoral democracies. (Less)
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author
Casan, Johari LU
supervisor
organization
course
SOLM02 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
War on Drugs, Philippines, Duterte, States of Denial, Extrajudicial Killings, Populism, State Violence, Content Analysis, Socio-legal Studies
language
English
id
9213568
date added to LUP
2025-10-07 17:54:32
date last changed
2025-10-07 17:54:32
@misc{9213568,
  abstract     = {{This study examines the paradoxical public support for President Rodrigo Duterte's War on Drugs (WOD) in the Philippines (2016-2022) despite widespread evidence of human rights violations and extrajudicial killings (EJKs). Through a socio-legal lens and employing Stanley Cohen's "States of Denial" framework, this research analyzes how Duterte's public rhetoric justified, normalized, and legitimized state-sanctioned violence while maintaining significant public acceptance. Using qualitative content analysis (QCA) enhanced by reflexive content analysis (RCA), the study systematically examines a corpus of Duterte's public communications, including speeches, press conferences, and interviews. The findings reveal a sophisticated and interlocking architecture of literal, interpretive, and implicatory denial. These rhetorical strategies reframed violence as a necessary and righteous component of a "just war," dehumanized its victims to neutralize moral objections, and deflected accountability by attacking critics and appealing to higher loyalties like national security and the protection of the youth. This research contributes to the socio-legal understanding of how populist leaders can weaponize official discourse to erode democratic norms and cultivate public consent for extreme violence. It offers critical insights into the intersection of violent populism, political communication, and human rights in contemporary electoral democracies.}},
  author       = {{Casan, Johari}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Straight from the Horse’s Mouth: A Socio-legal Analysis of the Philippine War on Drugs under President Rodrigo Duterte through Stanley Cohen’s States of Denial}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}