Critical Discourse Research Articles

Movement and the Watery Imaginary in the Contemporary North American Feminist Poetic

What can hybridity teach us? The answer I posit is–like water–to embrace movement in all its forms. We are currently experiencing the sixth mass extinction event on earth and yet few scholars give prolonged attention to how we are to sustainably move our human inheritances forward on this increasingly uninhabitable planet. Reflecting on the work of transnational poets, specifically South Korean poet Kim Hyesoon translated through Korean American poet Don Mee Choi and Lebanese American poet Etel Adnan, we are reminded of the myriad ways in which humans can move and survive in a foreign yet familiar world. This paper finds its support in the confluence of transnational contemporary feminist poetics, formalism, environmentalism, and posthumanism. Through the use of various critical discourses, this paper considers how movement and its hybrid capacities offer a new understanding of contemporary North American poetics. In this sense, a poem should be viewed as a dynamic temporal cybernetic system, a vessel, full of energy, simultaneously pulsing with the changing movements and constrictions of everyday life.

From marginalization to resistance: A critical discourse analysis of indigenous Tao anti-racist and anti-nuclear waste narratives in Taiwan

This study examines the evolving discourse surrounding the nuclear waste on Orchid Island (Lanyu), Taiwan, through the frameworks of Critical Discourse Analysis and metaphorical framing. It analyses linguistic features across three textual genres—news reports, a declaration, and a government report—spanning from Taiwan’s late Martial Law period to the present. The findings reveal a discursive shift from environmental concerns to the indigenous Tao people’s belief in the malevolent spirit Anito, and, ultimately, to issues of land and identity. This trajectory underscores the complexity of the discourse and its broader implications for indigenous transitional justice. Drawing on interviews with 10 key stakeholders, the study emphasizes the necessity of confronting the historical marginalization of indigenous voices. It advocates for genuine engagement with these voices rather than superficial inclusion, arguing that such a shift is crucial to addressing entrenched injustices and ensuring the meaningful representation of the Tao people’s perspectives.

Language and Identity in the Postcolonial Space: A Study of Bilingualism and “Self-Intersection”

This study examines how Vietnamese-English bilinguals construct, perform, and negotiate their personal identity through language in both digital and everyday interactions. Adopting a qualitative methodology that integrates Critical Discourse Analysis with poststructuralist theory, linguistic ethnography, and the concept of symbolic competence, the research investigates bilingual practices such as code-switching, metalinguistic awareness, and cross-linguistic emotional expression. Findings indicate that bilingual speakers navigate multilayered forms of subjectivity, deploying language not only as a communicative resource but also as a tool for emotional modulation, performative identity work, and reflexive self-positioning. English, in particular, frequently serves as a psychological refuge, providing emotional distance, enabling nuanced affective articulation, and preserving discursive agency in contexts of vulnerability or ambivalence. These practices reveal the fluid and dynamic nature of bilingual identity, continually shaped by linguistic choice, cultural ideology, and shifting emotional registers. The study advances a view of bilingualism as an embodied, multidimensional process situated at the intersection of language, affect, and cultural meaning-making. Practical implications underscore the need for language education to adopt identity-responsive pedagogies—approaches that empower learners to engage with language not only as a technical skill but as a symbolic resource for self-expression, negotiation, and emotional resilience.

Egyptian Magic in Java by Om Hao: History, Spirituality, and Magical Realism

The fusion of magical events in modern society is generally influenced by the historical and spiritual aspects of human psychology. The relationship between the fusion of magical contexts with the two paradigms is still not fully understood by people who rely on scientific thinking and reasoning. The ultimate goal of this study is to elaborate on the historical, spiritual, psychological aspects of humans, and magical realism in the Novel of Egyptian Magic in the Land of Java. The problem that arises in this novel is how the historical, spiritual aspects of human psychology can be the dominant factor to influence the construction of the elements of magical realism contained in the Egyptian Magic Novel in Java. This research approach was carried out using the qualitative approach of Hermeneutics and Semiotics. The data of this study is a unit of sentence or paragraph in a novel. The data collection technique is carried out by reading and recording techniques. The data analysis technique is carried out with a content analysis technique that includes three stages, namely data reduction, data presentation, verification and conclusion. The results of the study show that there are several aspects of magical realism indicated on the cover of the book and the entire storyline contained in the novel, the historical aspects found include the history of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, the spiritual aspects of human psychology include human psychological spirituality towards life, towards death, and towards reality, while the implications of this research become a critical discourse and can provide a complex understanding of The extent to which elements of magical realism can be seen in the historical and spiritual aspects of human psychology, in relation to that, this research can involve views from other literary fields such as literary sociology, literary psychology, and literary anthropology.

Visual (Mis)Representations on Sports and Weight Loss: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Study of Images in Official Health Posts on WeChat in China.

In response to physical inactivity and rising levels of obesity among the population, the Chinese government has used social media, such as WeChat, to engage and encourage the public to do sports in order to lose weight and maintain health. Images in official social media posts on sports and weight loss constitute an important, but currently underexplored site. Using multimodal critical discourse analysis (MCDA), this paper examines the images in the posts in " (Healthy China)," the official WeChat account of the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, on sports and weight loss. It is found that the images employ medical-style discursive features to establish authority on sport. Neoliberal themes of individual responsibility and competition also emerge, framing sports as self-improvement and a personal obligation. Moreover, female figures dominate, and often are depicted in alignment with societal thinness ideals, reinforcing gendered body norms and anxiety. We suggest that the discourses in the official media may lead to certain misrepresentations, obscuring structural barriers to sports, and perpetuating sports anxiety and weight biases in the society, especially among women.

Discursive Construction of Traditional Culture of Southwest China in Modern Overseas Travelogues — Take <i>The Land of the Dragon</i> as an Example

There is a wealth of travelogues about southwest China left by overseas visitors since 1840. These travelogues record the traditional cultural imprints of the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River, including landscapes, architecture, economic development, and social customs. Taking The Land of the Dragon as a representative overseas travelogue, this study aims to investigate the discursive construction of traditional culture in southwest China, particularly along the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River. The findings show that the traditional culture in southwest China occupies a unique place in the history of traditional Chinese culture, characterized by rich ethnic characteristics as well as cultural depth and breadth. Overseas travelogues often reflect certain fixed impressions and partial understandings of traditional Chinese culture. This study has both theoretical and practical implications. It first demonstrates the applicability of critical discourse analysis to overseas travelogues about China and enriches methodological approaches through a content analysis of The Land of the Dragon. Second, this study helps to make a better understanding of Chinese traditional culture and enhance the readers' critical reading awareness, call on people to protect nature and traditional culture, and utilize them rationally so as to promote the sustainable development of material culture and spiritual culture.

Sexual and reproductive rights on the Flemish political agenda: a case study of menstrual health

ABSTRACT In recent years, there has been a rise in political polarisation globally, with the far-right movement in Europe threatening gender equality and the rights of minoritised communities. This article applied an intersectional framework to analyse political discourses in Flanders surrounding one of the most polarising issues today: sexual and reproductive health and rights, with a specific focus on menstrual health. Through critical discourse analysis of elite interviews, parliamentary meetings, and election programmes of Flemish political parties, the study examined how these narratives reinforce or challenge power structures and inequality. Results indicated that, while the three most left-wing parties incorporated elements of menstrual activism – such as existing shame and taboo surrounding menstruation; the individual mental, social and physical health risks related to poor menstrual health; and the underlying gender inequality – they failed to consider intersectional, structural inequalities in the prevalence and form of period poverty. In contrast, the four most right-wing parties adopted a neoliberal stance, opposing government funding and emphasising individual responsibility. Moreover, the findings show discursive changes across time, indicating a polarisation on gender-related topics like menstrual health.

Language, Diplomacy and Global Governance: Discourse Strategies in a Middle Eastern UN Address

The article applies Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to King Abdullah II’s 2024 speech at the United Nations General Assembly, uncovering how he strategically employs humanitarian, legal, and geopolitical discourses to shape international perceptions of a conflict. Unlike previous research on Western political rhetoric, this study highlights how a Middle Eastern leader navigates global governance structures to construct political legitimacy, critique power asymmetries, and advocate for human rights. The findings reveal that King Abdullah integrates emotive language, statistical evidence, and legal references to frame the conflict as a global moral and legal crisis, moving beyond regional narratives. Additionally, the study identifies how historical intertextuality, including references to his father’s past UN addresses, strengthens Jordan’s diplomatic credibility and positions it as a principled advocate for peace. The analysis also highlights how the speech strikes a balance between critique and diplomacy, avoiding direct vilification while effectively critiquing the failures of international institutions. By framing the United Nations as ineffective in enforcing justice, King Abdullah aligns Jordan’s discourse with broader post-colonial resistance narratives, challenging dominance in global governance. This study contributes to CDA and political discourse analysis by offering a new framework for understanding how smaller states use language to challenge hegemonic structures and influence international diplomacy.

Complicating Cultural Diversity in Head Start: White Educators Negotiating Multicultural Policy in Rural Appalachia

ABSTRACTThis collaborative ethnographic study examines how white Head Start educators in a predominantly white, rural Appalachian community navigate multicultural teaching policies. Using critical discourse analysis of video‐cued interviews, field notes, and policy documents, we find educators adapt multicultural narratives to align with local values, inadvertently obscuring intended multicultural goals. We highlight the complexity of local culture, contributing to discussions of justice‐oriented pedagogy within contexts of economic exploitation.

World Picture: Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes and its exhibition

ABSTRACT This essay focuses on Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes, a groundbreaking work that provokes critical discourse on surveillance, privacy, and the ethical tensions between reality and fiction. The 2019 exhibition “World Picture: Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes” at Beijing’s Today Art Museum was the first comprehensive showcase of this work in China. It presented the film both as a feature and an installation art piece, demonstrating its innovative use of the surveillance footage recorded in China and its ability to connect cinematic and artistic practices. The exhibition also functioned as a thematic research platform, revealing the interconnection between Xu Bing’s four-decade long artistic career and the broader ideological, political, and social transformations in contemporary China. By mapping the evolution of Dragonfly Eyes within Xu Bing’s oeuvre, this study attempts to reveal how his work engages with artistic experimentation and “counter-art” practices, offering insight into new methodologies for interdisciplinary curation and expanding the dialogue between contemporary art and social critique.

A feminist critical discourse analysis of Nepali feminist hashtag movements on social media

ABSTRACT This study explores how Nepali feminist activists have reconstructed resistance discourses by using hashtags on Facebook and X. The study analyses data from Nepali feminist hashtag movements on these social media platforms and semi-structured interviews with Nepali feminist activists. Using Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis as theoretical lens, the study examines the resistance discourses, discursive strategies, and discursive devices employed by feminist activists in hashtag movements and interviews. The findings indicate that Nepali feminist activists use hashtag activism as a means to criticise and challenge gender discrimination, violence, misogyny, injustice, and patriarchal dominance across various socio-structural domains, such as households and the criminal justice system. In these resistance discourses, the feminist activists mainly use polarisation and agency ascription strategies, further enhanced by various discursive devices. The study argues that the interplay of these strategies and discursive devices helps the feminist activists portray ideological opponents as repressive forces, while highlighting the positive and proactive nature of feminist activists and their supporters.

Two sides of the same coin: discourses of ‘skill’ in further education initial teacher education

ABSTRACT Skill is ubiquitous in the English Further Education (FE) sector’s policy discourse and discursive practices, yet it is used in different ways to mean different things within the sector. Within the context of a deregulated FE Initial Teacher Education (ITE) system, the discourse is underpinned by a set of standards and guidance expected of providers, many of whom are, or work alongside, a Higher Education Institution (HEI). This research sought to determine the role that those working in this system have in recontextualising skills policy discourse. Building on interdisciplinary perspectives of skill and using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this research explored the skills discourse of 10 Teacher Educators (TEds) working within the English FE ITE sector. The discursive practices of TEds were found to be bound up with generic higher education notions of ‘graduate skills’ and ‘graduate employability’. This complements a narrow and weak discursive frame which underpins the ITE curriculum, linked to atomised standards, whereby generic teaching practices are centred to the exclusion of strongly classified theoretical and subject specialist knowledge, contributing to a narrower skills discourse and marginalisation of subject specialisms. This work has implications for policy makers and those involved in curriculum development in FE ITE.

The English imperative and the emergence of a globalized healthcare marketplace in India: medical and wellness tourism in context

ABSTRACT In India’s multilingual healthcare landscape, English functions as both symbolic capital and a strategic resource in the growing field of medical and wellness tourism. As cross-border health mobility expands, English increasingly serves as the lingua franca, influencing communication norms and institutional practices. This qualitative study examines the impact of language policy on frontline healthcare practitioners through in-depth interviews and participant observation. It investigates how professionals perceive language-related risks and how English has come to represent opportunity and hope in the context of widespread healthcare worker migration. The study reveals that linguistic hierarchies within healthcare institutions restrict access to critical discourse communities, thereby limiting professional growth and equitable service delivery. Additionally, institutional limitations on language training, often designed to retain skilled workers within the country, hinder service quality and long-term sectoral sustainability. The research advocates for the integration of specialized language training into both in-service and pre-service education to enhance communication, support patient care, and promote professional mobility. By situating language as central to policy and practice, this study offers insights into how English shapes access, authority, and equity in India’s evolving healthcare sector.

Lessons unlearned: the persistence of fear-based discourse in the 2016–2023 communication of new Europeanist actors in the United Kingdom

The study investigates the persistence of fear messaging in the political campaigning of the new wave of Europeanism in the United Kingdom. Its overarching aim is to analyse and interpret patterns of the discursive exploitation of fear by the British new Europeanist movement both in terms of their macro-discoursal and micro-linguistic content and strategies. In order to do so, the inquiry combines a frame analysis with critical discourse analysis and works with a large dataset of public-facing communications by two key Europeanist actors in the UK, the European Movement UK and Best for Britain, in the 2016–2023 period. The findings underscore the ‘lessons unlearned’ in this context, showing how new Europeanist actors continue to employ scare tactics reminiscent of the pre-referendum Project Fear, despite the clear rejection of such messaging by the majority of British voters in the 2016 referendum.

Varakashi, Ideological Hegemony and Cyber Propaganda in the Post Mugabe Era

The role of Varakashi in fostering cyber propaganda in the New Dispensation is underthorised. This study examines issues raised and given prominence about the New Dispensation on @nickmangwana. X is a hub where hegemonic interests of the New Dispensation are either legitimatized or delegitimised. Guided by the digital public sphere theory, this study evaluates how X is an arena to discuss issues associated with the New Dispensation. Qualitative methods are employed. Data collected using cyber ethnography is subjected to critical discourse analysis. Findings underscore that the New Dispensation is open for business and has opportunities for everyone. @nickmangwana (re)sells the Ed brand through juxtaposing the regimes of Mugabe and Mnangagwa. Emmerson Mnangagwa is a visionary leader aiming to empower citizens. X is indeed a politically progressive medium used to create awareness of the ongoing and future prospects of the New Dispensation. @nickmangwana engages and negotiates with Twitterati through hashtags and retweets to create threads.

Analysis of Digital Media Framing in Aceh–North Sumatra News: Framing, Identity, and Power in the Representation of Regional Conflict

Background of the problem: Territorial disputes between subnational entities in Indonesia often occur without adequate public scrutiny, revealing gaps in understanding how such conflicts are symbolically constructed and mediated through digital media narratives. Purpose: This research investigates how media narratives shape power relations and construct regional conflicts discursively and ideologically through symbolic framing. Method: Using Pan and Kosicki’s framing analysis and Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine 50 online news articles related to the island dispute between Aceh and North Sumatra. The study was conducted through text review, keyword frequency mapping, and actor-network visualization to explore the narrative structure and power relations in media discourse. Result: The research revealed that digital media coverage formed a centralized and hierarchical narrative by positioning state elites such as the President, Minister of Home Affairs, and national political figures as the leading actors in conflict resolution. Conflicts are framed in administrative and legalistic terms, thus obscuring the cultural-historical context and marginalizing the agency of local actors. This discourse pattern reproduces symbolic marginalization and reinforces power imbalances between the central and regional levels. Implication: The findings provide practical insights for media practitioners and policymakers to be aware of the ideological function of framing in conflict coverage and theoretical contributions to media and communication studies by showing how discourse structures reinforce state-centric narratives and marginalize subnational identities. The findings open space for further research on symbolic power in digital news.

Digital Exploitation in the Gig Economy: A Marxian Study on Platform and Online Ojek Driver Relations

The transformation of the digital economy has given rise to a new work model known as the gig economy, where app-based jobs like online motorcycle taxis (ojol) are rapidly growing. Behind the narrative of flexibility and partnership offered, there lies a work relationship that creates structural inequalities between platform companies and workers. This research uses Karl Marx's social conflict theory approach to analyze the hidden forms of exploitation behind the digital work system. Through literature review and critical discourse analysis, it was found that digital communication run by platforms is one-way, relies on algorithms, and creates unequal power relations. Ojol workers do not have control over digital production tools (applications), which places them in a subordinate position. Moreover, the use of the term "partner" has proven to be an ideological instrument to cover up the inequalities in labor relations. This research concludes that the gig economy in the context of online motorcycle taxis reproduces a new form of class exploitation, with communication as a covert tool of domination. The implications of these findings emphasize the importance of fair regulation and the strengthening of worker collectives in facing platform-based work models.

Many Ways to Lead: A Discourse Analysis of Sport as an Influencer for Climate Action

As global climate injustices worsen, sport has the potential to spur climate action through various connections (e.g., athletes to fans, sports teams to sponsors). However, sport's entanglement with capitalism and colonialism is often ignored. In this article, the authors conducted a critical discourse analysis of 20 episodes from four podcast channels on sport and sustainability. The results show how discourses around “sport as an influencer of climate action” create different understandings and implications of leadership. Some versions of leadership include discourses of upward progress, carbon offsetting, and fighting capitalism with more capitalism. Others involve discourses of contextual degrowth, unlearning dominant worldviews, and supporting grassroots activism. Although these discourses are layered and complex, it is important for sport stakeholders to learn from this dialogue, unsettle their own colonial practices, and pay closer attention to the discourses that constrain what is thinkable, sayable, or desirable when it comes to sport and justice.

Maskvos patriarchato stačiatikių vyskupijos Lietuvoje diskurso adaptacijos 2022–2024 metais

The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 intensified geopolitical tensions and brought the issue of Orthodox church organizations’ ties to the Moscow Patriarchate to the forefront of the political agenda. The Orthodox Diocese of Vilnius and Lithuania, as part of the Moscow Patriarchate, became a focal point of public debate, facing growing societal distrust and political pressure. The diocese had to navigate between loyalty to Moscow and the need to maintain legitimacy within Lithuanian society. This study examines the discursive practices employed by the diocese to sustain its legitimacy, utilizing critical discourse analysis based on Teun van Dijk’s ‘ideological square’ model. It highlights how the diocese transformed its communication strategies by emphasizing Lithuanian identity, reducing public associations with the Moscow Patriarchate, and presenting itself as a guarantor of peace and stability. Additionally, the research explores how historical narratives, sacralization strategies, and the delegitimization of opposing groups were used to strengthen its position. The study reveals that the diocese strategically modified its communication to mitigate criticism and maintain influence within Lithuanian society. These findings suggest that religious institutions, during times of crisis, actively adjust their discursive practices to safeguard legitimacy and shape public perception.

From Policy to Practice: Tracing the Evolution of Urban Food Policies Across London and Rotterdam

Urban food policies (UFPs) have emerged as key instruments for addressing food system challenges at the municipal level, often framed by scholars as tools for fostering sustainability, inclusivity, and resilience. However, these policies do not exist in a vacuum; instead, they are shaped by the broader governance landscapes in which they are embedded, such as increasing city gentrification and branding. This article critically examines the evolution of UFPs in London and Rotterdam—two early adopters of UFPs in Europe—exploring how each city’s approach to food governance has shifted over time in response to political leadership, funding structures, and local priorities. Employing critical discourse analysis, this study investigates the language and priorities embedded within these policies, revealing persistent tensions between market‐driven objectives and sustainable, community‐focused solutions. By situating UFPs within their broader governance context, this study contributes to critical debates on urban governance: It questions whether municipalities have the capacity to implement transformative food policies or whether they remain constrained by the structural dynamics of the global food system governed by corporate imperatives.