Governance in the Mirror of Metaphors: The Role of ‎Language and Cognitive Mechanisms in Public Policy

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Postdoctoral Researcher of Cognitive Science, Institute for Humanities and Social Studies, Academic Center for ‎Education, Culture and Research, Thehran, Iran.‎

Abstract

Traditional paradigms of public administration often rely on rational-actor models, assuming that policy formulation is a purely objective, logical process. This paper challenges that assumption by examining governance through the lens of Cognitive Linguistics and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Utilizing Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT), this study argues that the foundational architecture of public policy is intrinsically metaphorical (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980). Metaphors are not mere rhetorical embellishments; rather, they constitute the cognitive infrastructure that dictates problem definition, constrains epistemological horizons, and limits the spectrum of viable policy solutions (Kövecses, 2010; Lakoff, 2004). By analyzing cross-cultural linguistic mappings, embodied cognition, and dominant policy frames, this paper explores how “Grand Metaphors” covertly structure macro-level political decision-making in domains such as environmental crisis management, macroeconomics, and international relations. Ultimately, the paper advocates for “metaphorical literacy” among policymakers, arguing that the deliberate reframing of governance paradigms—shifting from militaristic and control-based metaphors to ecological and systemic ones—is an essential prerequisite for sustainable public administration.

Keywords

References

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