Multimodal Discourse on BRICS Produced by Diverse Stakeholders: Identifying Attitudes, Cultures and Perspectives

Anastasia Atabekova,Tatyana Shoustikova,Rimma Gorbatenko

doi:10.20896/saci.v7i5.670

Abstract

The paper explores the conceptual vision of BRICS in the contemporary world. The study focuses on language and images that are used within BRICS-related institutional communication. We argue that the research is important because of the increasing impact of BRICS on the development of the multilateral and multipolar world. The research aims to offer preliminary considerations with regard to key topics, features and tools of multimodal discourse that comes from the BRICS nations and representatives of other international/regional organisations. This area has not been subject to academic analysis so far. This confirms the novelty of the present study. The research material includes 600 image-text correlated items from BRICS official sources of information and from organisation and institutions, which are not affiliated with the BRICS and refer to national or international actors. The research combined theoretical analysis of literature, empirical investigation of materials within qualitative paradigm, through content-based analysis and manual coding on thematic and pragmatic criteria. The findings reveal different approaches to BRICS that are introduced by different actors through specific coordination of verbal and visual tools, in explicit and implicit ways. The findings show that BRICS sources contain proportioned use of texts and photos of high-ranking official events, socio-cultural features of BRICS countries, and pictures of youth with regard to BRICS mission, values, goals, and policies. This strengthens the concept of equality and human rights provision in the modern world in general and leads to the understanding of the need to include the issues of youth rights and their equality on the BRICS agenda in an explicit way.

Highlights

The modern communication across countries intensively integrates various verbal and nonverbal tools
The goal of this research is to take initial steps in identifying and comparing key features, topics and tools of multimodal discourse that comes from the BRICS nations and representatives of other international/regional organisations
The research findings confirmed the hypothesis that BRICS nations and outside stakeholders view and verbalise their attitude to the BRICS policies and activities, in different ways due to stakeholders’ clashing goals and aspirations

Summary

Introduction

The modern communication across countries intensively integrates various verbal and nonverbal tools. This lays grounds for studies of multimodal discourse analysis with regard to diverse settings and stakeholders. The attention to the discourse on BRICS stems from the fact that BRICS plays a crucial role about deterrence policy within the global community that faces challenges of unipolar world advance. The research framework takes into account the current move from the fourth generation under the dominance of the West to the fifth generation under the leading role of the East (Thussu, 2018). The studies of the topic bear in mind contemporary scholars’ vision of the clash of civilisations and renewal of the world order (Huntington, 1996; Yakovets, 2000)

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Conclusion