Abstract
The research aims to see as to how identity discourse of national dallies contributes to the process of national integration by analyzing newspapers’ coverage of ethnic issues in the communally-battered Karachi. For the purpose, two major Urdu and English newspapers in Jang and Dawn published in 2007, 2008 and 2009 are selected for textual analysis; with the May 12, 2007 ethnic carnage being in spotlight. The findings are a mixed bag containing both positives and negatives. Apart from increased realization in discourse of both dailies that ethnicity is a problem, Dawn has got no place for nationalistic rhetoric based on one Islamic identity which may have positive implications for national integration. Nonetheless, Jang, as per the findings, is yet to wean itself off the nationalistic rhetoric.
Highlights
National integration has always been a huge problem in Pakistan
Getting down to important categories related to our aim of reaching any conclusions regarding the role of discourse in the national integration, the category ‘Is ethnicity a problem?’ in table 1, depicting data of Category First, shows an increasing tendencies of newspapers towards realization of the fact that ethnicity is a problem with the English daily carrying 34.40 aggregate percentage points of such news while Jang is not far away in this regard giving place to 26.99 aggregate percentage points of such news
Dawn has no place for nationalistic rhetoric in shape of promotion of one Islamic identity which in turn may help in integration
Summary
National integration has always been a huge problem in Pakistan. Whether it is the issues of religious minorities or the problems faced by linguistic minorities represented by small provinces, the Pakistani state is yet to give full constitutional rights to its minorities. Notwithstanding the ‘institutional expectations’ that one harbors about language use—discourse of newspapers— one cannot ignore the fact that discourse cannot be ‘accurate’ always as traditional media academicians in Pakistan usually emphasize This is what an authority says while stating that news is not what we see in newspaper in its final shape but passes many frames including “cultural, legal, political, technical and commercial interests”.20. The dominance of a particular sectarian/ethnic group in newsroom is a frame any discourse goes through having implications for integration in a country like Pakistan.[23] Morley quoted by Reese, Gandy and Grant refers to ‘the basic conceptual and ideological framework’ “through which events are presented and as a result of which they come to be given one dominant/primary meaning rather than another”.24. To have a comprehensive discourse analysis news discourse has been analyzed from the following angles which, in connection with discourse analysis, are our codes
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