Critical Discourse Analysis as an Instrument to Enhance Social Justice Among Teenage Mothers

Abstract

The aim of this study is to present how critical discourse analysis was used to enhance social justice among teenaged mothers. Critical discourse analysis was used to promote critical dialogue between the socially legitimate structures and the marginalized teenaged mothers to deconstruct text and discourses that perpetuate social injustice. The study is anchored on community engagement. Data was generated with seven teenaged mothers, parents, and community leaders. Individual interviews, focus group discussions, and reflections were used to generate data with co-researchers. The study found that when teenaged mothers are exposed to social marginalization, they are denied the needed support in the development of personal, cultural, and social skills. Through critical dialogue, social text and discourses were deconstructed to co-create contextual and shared meaning leading to social justice for the marginalized teenaged mothers. The study concludes that critical discourse analysis is most appropriate in studies with youth or marginalized groups.