Argumentative moves in the public discussion on the smoking ban: An investigation of the debate

Discussion on the introduction of the smoking ban in Ticino has all the characteristics of a debate, where every participant takes a position. In this context, observing argumentative content means reconstructing the core of the discussion. However the goal of understanding argumentative content is difficult to achieve because argumentation is a complex activity. Content analysis allows reconstruction of a small part of the content and the core question of the thesis arises from this observation. Main aim of the thesis lays on a methodological level. The question is “how can we best describe argumentative content?” and is developed throughout the study until the final question is formulated: to what extent can the argumentation theory help in constructing the most expressive content analysis?