The various chapters of the book offer a theoretical reflection on the metaphor and its use in argumentation. The central focus, at an epistemological and rhetorical-pragmatic level, is on the relationship between metaphor and conflict.

This book presents original research work by leading scholars in the field of metaphor studies. Its innovative focus on the intrinsically conflictual nature of the metaphor fills an important gap in the existing field of metaphor studies. The notion of conflict is envisaged both in the epistemological sense, as the metaphor is the outcome of a ‘conceptual conflict’, and in the ‘metaphorical’sense, since the metaphor constitutes a powerful tool in conflictual discourse. The book explores the multiple forms and interactions of metaphors through case studies and corpora. In particular, it presents the role of the metaphor in political and media discourse, where it contributes to the success of the persuasive act.