The GND perpetuates hegemonic anthropogenism that deflect critical analysis of climate policy---you can’t “do both” because they’ve intentionally tailored their strategy towards these assumptions under the guise of ecocentrism.

The GND is an important rhetorical artifact because it aims to solve a world-wide, highly controversial and life-threatening issue. There have been several green policy propositions in the past, however the GND is unique due to its critical arguments, prominent media attention and response. The document also includes themes of challenging capitalism, patriarchy, and anthropocentrism, which deviate from our expectations of legal, policy documents. My ideological criticism and analysis of the GND is complemented by an analysis of multiple media reactions to the GND to demonstrate how the GND is being interpreted by news media and presented to public audiences. Because public audiences are unlikely to read the GND themselves, the media is likely their only understanding of the goals and contents of the bill. In 18 this project, I analyze how the GND challenges ideologies of capitalism, patriarchy, and anthropocentrism. However, it is important to note that while AOC is challenging these notions, she is also complicit in appealing to these hegemonic discourses. This may be a byproduct of the GND existing within those hegemonic discourses or an intentional strategy to situate the GND in a way that appealed to a wider audience . With the 2020 presidential election already underway and a continually deteriorating environment, it is imperative that hegemonic ideologies of anthropocentrism, patriarchy, and capitalism do not infringe on justice and a healthy environment. Not only does the GND highlight issues of environmentalism, but it also highlights questions of vulnerable communities and the intersection of economics and the environment. This project addresses the ideologies within the American society that produced the GND as well as media responses. This project contributes to the field of communication studies in that it addresses the roadblocks that climate change communication faces in the current political climate. This is analyzed through exposing harmful dominant discourses of capitalism, patriarchy, and anthropocentrism. Issues of feminism, hegemony, and climate change intersect in the GND to highlight a need for critical rhetorical study. In illuminating these harmful discourses, awareness may be able to bring about political and social justice. The method that will be used to examine this phenomenon is an ideological analysis. Since the goal of the research is to analyze ideologies and dominant discourses present in the GND and news media coverage of it, an ideological approach is the most appropriate method for this project. In my analysis, I address the intersections of ideologies, patriarchal and hegemonic structures, and the effects of climate change and its policies marginalized communities. In the case of this project, these previously mentioned characteristics inform the way that climate 19 policy and female politicians are perceived. By using ecofeminism as an orienting frame, I evoke the sentiments discussed by Dow (1995) as a way to analyze artifacts that aim to challenge dominant discourses through empowering marginalized groups. The GND addresses issues of exploitation, vulnerable communities, and the social repercussions to the climate crisis. Feminist criticism is used to help illuminate these occurrences in society, especially when vulnerable communities and other non-dominant groups are at risk. Feminist criticism is a form of ideological criticism, which asks the reader to analyze the dominant knowledge in society. For example, Burke (1964) described ideologies as inhabiting bodies and making them hop around in certain ways. This explanation portrays ideologies as having material effects that may or may not be obvious or directly traceable. Not attending to ideologies and the effects that they have may be dangerous as we leave important communicative elements underrepresents the norms and expectations of society (p. 1). While these norms are inevitable whenever humans congregate, there are ethical concerns when the elite members of society control public knowledge with little opportunity for disruption. Climate change has a long history of debate and misinterpretation which have led to a lack of climate policies in the U.S. government. This project focuses on the ecofeminist themes in the GND to reveal its radical/counter-hegemonic functioning as a much-needed shift from stagnant approaches to climate policy. However, this attention is not without consideration of the many constraints, including those from dominant ideologies, that are apparent in the GND. In the following analysis, I use a critical ecofeminist lens to analyze one of the most radical and noteworthy climate propositions in American politics. As we know, popular media and climate controversy have harmed the ability for climate advocacy to gain traction in politics. 20 Greenhouse gasses and pollution are currently killing our planet and tainting our natural resources. As studies have shown, continuing this harmful path will result in irreversible destruction to our planet. It is time that we call out these roadblocks and continue a conversation of climate advocacy in order to improve our ecosystem. how she calls out harmful ideologies in order to transform American ways of thinking. AOC envisions an ecocentric way of living despite the many obstacles that continue to perpetuate anthropogenic climate change. Ironically, the GND and the media portrayals of the GND continue to echo hegemonic discourses through insults and deflection of the real issues at hand. As communication scholars, it is imperative that we recognize and continue having these transformative and critical conversations. Communication plays a large role in how climate policy is understood and in order to solve this problem we cannot allow these hegemonic discourses to go unnoticed. In the following chapter, I analyze the GND in terms of three major components: challenges to anthropocentrism, challenges to capitalism, and challenges to patriarchy.