“Is Islam A Peaceful Religion?”: A Study of Pragma-rhetorical Strategies of Refutation in Oxford Union Debate

This study aims at exploring the pragma-rhetorical strategies employed in Oxford Union Debate on Islam to refute the claims presented that Islam is not a peaceful religion. Mehdi Hasans speech,as counter-argument, is chosen as data for the analysis.To achieve the aims of the study, an eclectic model is used in data analysis. It is composed of Aristotles argumentation appeals (1909 ), McQuarrie and Micks figures of speech (1996) and Brown and Levinsons politeness strategies (1987). The most important conclusions of the study are :1) The pragma-rhetorical strategies used by Mehdi Hasan are argumentation appeal, figures of speech and politeness strategies ,2) Logos outnumber other types of argumentation appeal in the data under study, hyperbole is the most commonly figure of speech used in Hasans speech, and off-record strategies are more predominantly used than other politeness strategies.