“…a historical study that speaks to the current issue of what kind of political culture and system of governance we have, and why and how our governing discourse marginalizes the citizenry even as it claims to advance the cause of democracy. Rhetorical scholars and students alike will find Founding Fictions’ careful distinction between republican and democratic forms to be insightful and helpful.”
--Robert L. Ivie, professor in the Department of Communication Culture at Indiana University
— -
“In this provocative, challenging study, Mercieca explores the relationship between American political theory and the stories told about American government. This is a book for those interested in political science, public policy, and citizen participation.”
—CHOICE
— -
“Rhetorical historians and political theorists can learn a lot from this volume. . . . Mercieca’s central thesis—that political theories are fictions, and that these fictions exert considerable influence on texts in any given historical context—is a concept worthy of further explication in future rhetorical histories.”
—Journal of Communication
— -