Critical Discourse Analysis: Representation of Radical Islam in the Media Release of Indonesia

Abstract

The aim of this research is to educate people in digital literacy so that people are not easily provoked and wiser in responding to news about radical Islam. This study used a descriptive qualitative method. The data collected is secondary data taken from journal articles and theses. The data comes from several online media portals, namely Kompas, Republika Online, and SuaraIslam.com. The discourse analysis used in this study is the critical discourse analysis model of van Dijk. The results of this study indicate that the online media portal used can be seen as the tendency of each media to represent radical Islam in its news. The Kompas has the following characteristics: (1) have a title that can arouse curiosity and also attract readers; (2) the chosen diction shows a counter attitude to acts of terror; (3) the construction of news builds the perception that terrorism is a criminal act that is inhumane, so it needs to be eradicated from the root; (4) the facts and sources used can increase the credibility of the news. Republika Online and SuaraIslam.com also build bad representations regarding the issue of radical Islam, in this case, ISIS. The group is categorized as terrorists who act on behalf of Islam in carrying out their actions. However, there are differences between the two journalists. Republika Online journalists show no sympathy for the ISIS group, while SuaraIslam.com responds to this issue in a neutral position. Even so, both of them still voiced the same thing, namely the acts of terror carried out by the ISIS group are a threat to the world.