Personal identity and community resilience: Sadiq Khan’s restorative rhetoric in response to terrorism

ABSTRACT Multiple terror attacks rocked London in 2017. These attacks brought to the forefront of public consciousness London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s unique identity as a Muslim leader confronting Islamic terrorism in a Western city. Through theoretical lenses of restorative rhetoric and the Disaster Communication Intervention Framework, this rhetorical criticism analyzes how Khan situated himself as a rhetorical symbol against terrorism while crafting a vision of unity and resilience rooted in diversity. By analyzing Khan’s anti-terrorism rhetoric in 2017 and the years prior, we explore how Khan used personal identity in his calls for collective response to disaster. The study contributes to scholarly understanding of how political leaders respond to disasters and offers practical guidelines for leaders working to foster post-disaster resilience in diverse communities.