| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology |
| Editors | George Ritzer |
| Publisher | John Wiley and Sons |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781405165518 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781405124331 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Aug 2016 |
Abstract
Plastic words” evokes a class of terms that are amorphous, misleading, pseudoscientific – and omnipresent. Comparable to George Orwell's Newspeak, plastic words possess a formulaic character that impedes independent thinking. The entry describes plastic words and applies the concept to the widespread use of “phobic” language (Islamophobia, homophobia, xenophobia, ecophobia, etc.).