Discourse Analysis Methodology Research Articles

The methodology and methods of sociological monitoring of communities of working youth in social networks

The article is devoted to the generalization of the experience accumulated by our research group in the research of virtual communities of the working youth (2019-2021). The purpose of the article is to construct a comprehensive methodology for the socio-logical monitoring of social networks of the working youth. The main research objectives were: to analyze modern approaches to conducting monitoring research (including on the Internet); based on the methodology of discourse analysis, to consider the use of methods of frequent and infrequent content analysis for processing the collected information in monitoring mode; to present the stages of monitoring communities of the working youth in social networks, using the example of research conducted within the framework of the project Life strategies of young people referring to the new working class in modern Russia. As a part of the empirical data analysis, the results of a study of virtual communities and social networks groups of the Russian working youth in the field of customer service in the VKontakte social network, carried out in 2021 (6 virtual communities, 133 text posts and the most popular memes) are presented in detail. The stability of thematic categories of virtual group communication in comparison with previous studies and the presence of group identity among Russian working youth referring to the custom service sphere. Conclusions are made regarding the preference of a non-automated approach to the collection and analysis of social network content; about the validity of using the methodology of discourse analysis and content analysis methods for the research of youth social networks in the mode of sociological monitoring.

The Language of Diplomacy in Inaugural Speeches: Roberta Metsola’s Speech as the New President of the EU Parliament

The study of inaugural speeches is fairly consolidated, especially if we refer to the analysis of the speeches of American presidents. Much less is available on the subject when we delve into lesser-known presidential figures, such as the presidents of European institutions. The analysis of the speeches of American presidents through the methodology of discourse analysis has helped to reveal their political intentions, their way of persuading listeners, building trust and empathy with the public, but also reaffirming their policies and measures relating to the economy, foreign affairs and social issues.
 
 In this paper I will focus on the new President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, elected on January 18, 2022. We are therefore in a completely different context, since the two forms of presidency are different in terms of roles, tasks and powers granted. Metsola’s inaugural speech will be analysed from a Discourse Analysis perspective, with a focus on lexical choice, personal pronouns and rhetorical figures to show how she plans to construct the image of the new presidency of the EU parliament and her intended objectives. The paper analyses how those who work in institutions such as the EU try to convey political messages, maintain or change the point of view of their public on certain issues, and understand whether they tend to conform to the consolidated structural and linguistic protocols that characterize their role or whether they (may) lapse into discursive practices that sometimes seem trite and worn-out.

Социально-философские основы критических исследований дискурса

The purpose of the study is to analyze the views of the last century's philosophers and find out how they shaped the methodology of discourse analysis. The article examines ideas derived in poststructuralism, postmodernism and the Frankfurt School. The scientific novelty of the paper lies in the philosophical application of discourse studies, as well as singling out the interdisciplinary cooperation between humanities and social studies. As a result, the contribution of M. Foucault, J. Habermas and J. Derrida to the formation of the conceptual apparatus of critical discourse analysis is described; the main categories developed by the above-mentioned authors are summarized, allowing us to apply philosophical methodology to conduct a research of various issues emerging at the intersection of political science, linguistics, sociology, psychology, cultural studies.

Constructing the National Body through Public Homophobia: A Discourse Analysis of Egyptian Media Coverage of the ‘Rainbow Flag Case’ in 2017

Since the revolution in 2011 and the reconstitution of authoritarian military rule under Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in 2013, various moral panics shook Egypt and were accompanied by the policing of bodies, sexuality and sexual identities. The so-called ‘Rainbow Flag case’ was a notable illustration of such policing. After youths waved a rainbow flag at a concert in Cairo in 2017, state-controlled media led a vicious campaign against homosexuality that was part of a massive state crackdown on LGBTIQ+ people. Building on previous feminist research on gendered nationalism, this paper uses a discourse analysis methodology to examine state-controlled media coverage after the event to explore the discursive repertoires that constitute LGBTIQ+ people, especially homosexuals, as others within the Egyptian nation. It becomes evident that the regime – needing to reconsolidate and strengthen its authoritarian rule – promotes and supports a self-legitimising gendered nationalism, generating power by re-establishing heteronormative identities. Furthermore, the crackdown, repression, and discourse aim to restore the patriarchal order after the revolution in 2011.

Exploring Indian stand-up comedy through the lens of ideology, identity and gender: a discourse analysis

Despite being a diverse, vibrant and multifaceted phenomenon, relatively little academic attention has been paid in analysing Indian stand-up comedy. This paper attempts to address this imbalance by offering pathways in the analysis of stand-up comedy. Employing examples from the performances of the comedians and adopting discourse analysis methodology, this paper focuses on the issues like language ideology, identity and gender embeddedness in Indian Stand-up comedy. We have argued that the comedy employs several performative techniques such as linguistic code switching and calculative pauses to create humor. Through our work, we have demonstrated how ideology and identity constructions are simultaneously reinforced and subverted within the same comic moment. Finally, the extracted portion of recorded performances shows that the whole event unfolds as an informal, naturally developing encounter between audience and comedian.

The Collective West Concept and Selected Western Actors (Germany, Norway, Estonia, NATO) in the Russian Media: Post-Crimea Dynamics

The Post-Crimean period gave us a series of new concepts in international relations, and one of them is the Collective West Concept. Being invented in the academic sphere several years before the Crimean case, the concept intervened the Russian public and political discourse. In this article I argue that the Collective West concept has become an instrument of additional securitization of the West in the discourse of Russian media. To prove the hypothesis, I have used the discourse analysis and concept mining methodology. I have created a sample of Media messages and by means of concept mining soft have coded the sample. In this research project I was interested in finding correlations between the Collective West and separate Western countries and actors (NATO, Germany, Norway, Estonia). After creating a correlation model for these concepts, I have looked at the overall semantic and argumentation context of the concepts usage. The results of the research give me an opportunity to conclude, that the Collective West Concept is mostly used by Russian Media in negative context. Such big international actors as Germany is included in the Collective West Concept, when the context of speaking about it is also negative.

Risk and resilience in a changing climate: a diachronic analysis in the press across the globe

AbstractBuilding on our previous work investigating discourses of climate-induced mobility in the UK and US press, this paper addresses the overarching theme of environmental issues and the anthropocene by looking into representations of migration as adaptation in the context of climate change. In particular, drawing on corpus-assisted discourse analysis methodologies, the paper will focus on, and critically explore, meaning patterns of “risk” and “resilience” in a purpose-built diachronic corpus of quality newspapers from the Global North and the Global South between 2010 and 2017. Risk and resilience may in fact be regarded as the defining – though problematic – terms of our anthropogenic era. The investigation focuses on whether and how any significant discursive shifts may be identified in newspaper discourse across the globe and the extent to which the mainstream press reflects this problematicity. Our main findings show that not only is mention of risk more frequent in the Global North throughout than in the Global South media outlets, whereas the opposite is observed for resilience, but also that distinct meaning patterns emerge over time across the different areas of the world under investigation.

Death of the Author and Birth of the Nation: Literary Postmodernism and Nationalism in Serbia

This paper explores different influences between, on the one hand, the ideology and politics of nationalism in Serbia, and postmodern literature and literary criticism, on the other. The theoretical controversy regarding the alleged conformism or subversiveness of postmodern art, serves as a framework for examining Serbian literary post modernism of the 1980s and 1990s. The focus is on the relationship between the postmodern literature and ethno nationalist narratives that prepared the ground for the civil war and the dissolution of socialist Yugoslavia. The literary work, ideological position and public engagement of Danilo Kiš (1935–1989) and Milorad Pavić (1929–2009) are the basis for delineating two major paradigms within Serbian literary postmodernism. Using the methodologies of discourse analysis and literary sociology, the paper departs from the framework of narratological or text-immanent criticism and delineates the transition of literary works and their reception in the space of the socio-political field.

Legislative initiatives in the media: strategies for representation and interpretation

The discussion of legislative initiatives, as well as the interpretation a legislative acts or amendments, is an ambiguous phenomenon within the framework of a thematic media discourse. The specified reason determines that the study of the phenomenon is a necessary and relevant thing. The analysis of a legislative hypertext involves the consideration of representative and interpretive strategies of submission of laws by media. An approach seems relevant because the media shapes the public opinion and legal culture, ensures the quality and results of the public discussion of legislative innovations. The research of socio-legal communications is based on the methodology of critical discourse analysis involving the consideration of an unobvious purpose, structure, and additional meanings of the statement. The differences between the practices of representing legal decisions and interpreting lawmaking allowed singling out key strategies for the formation of legislative discourse. The official media represent a law or legislative initiative using strategies such as discussion and popularization, propaganda of law as the basis of society, education that raises the level of legal culture of the population. Opposition media practice the interpretation of legislative activity using other strategic decisions: constructive criticism, analysis of the development and adoption process, construction of a hypothesis of application, as well as emotional (provocative) interpretation.

Кінодискурс як дворівнева система складників: функційний погляд

The article is devoted to the problem of modeling the structure of film discourse from a functional point of view. The author explained the essence of the concept of “film discourse” and clarified its relationship with related terms. The article denies the expediency of identifying such concepts as “telecine cinematographic discourse” and “cinematographic discourse” with film discourse. The material proves the hyperonymic status of film discourse. It has been noticed that scientists use the following terms in film discourse studies: film text, film dialogue, film replica, film trailer, film announcement and film slogan. It has been determined that film dialogues, film replicas and film slogans are among them of a purely verbal nature. Movie texts, along with movie trailers and movie announcements, accumulate verbal and other semiotic signs. It is established that the connections between the groups of these concepts show the transition from the largest to the smallest: 1) film text – film dialogue – film replica; 2) film trailer – film announcement – film slogan. The expediency of applying a functional approach to modeling the structure of film discourse based on the provisions of the methodology of discourse analysis and the idea of the dyadic nature of the structure of discourse as such is substantiated. However, it is also suggested to take into account the two levels of communication in film discourse (external level – collective author / audience; internal level – addressee character and addressee character) and to distinguish between ectoand entocomponents. Entocomponents are film texts with film dialogues and film lines. These are products of communicative activity that have a certain meaning and semiotic form that can convey this meaning. They are also marked by integrity, completeness and perform a variety of discourse functions, in addition to advertising. Ectocomponents are film trailers, film announcements and film slogans, because they are the products of communicative activities that have their meaning and semiotic form, while being relatively complete and concise with a focus on the implementation of primarily advertising function. It is determined that ento- and ectocomponents in the structure of film discourse interact with each other on the principle of hierarchical subordination. Ectocomponents are subordinated to ethnic components, despite the fact that external components have a wider functional palette. It is proved that the relations between ento- and ectocomponents are established. approximate identity, because movie trailers and movie announcements are almost always created on the basis of pre-borrowed frames, episodes and cues / dialogues from the main movie text. This was confirmed by a comparative analysis of the language organization of the film trailer and the film text of the documentary “Your Vasyl”

The Media Representation of Coronavirus As A Tool of Discredit And Praise: The Cases of Sözcü And Sabah

This study addresses the media representations of Coronavirus pandemic in two of the leading Turkish newspapers: Sözcü and Sabah. Sözcü has the highest circulation in Turkish print media with an ideology critical of the government and Sabah is one of the best-selling dailies having a pure pro-government stance. The main objective of the study is to shed light on the discourses of these two newspapers on how government has managed the Coronavirus crisis. All of the columns of Sabah and Sözcü between March and September 2020 have been scanned and the articles having the selected key words in the title have been put under scrutiny. For each month, two articles have been analyzed in each newspaper and a total number of twenty-eight articles have been analyzed through employing Critical Discourse Analysis methodology of Van Dijk. Critical Discourse Analysis is an interdisciplinary approach that studies the ways power abuse, dominance, and inequality are reproduced, and resisted by text and talk. Through using socio-cognitive approach of Van Dijk, this study aims to trace the following: how the government discourses regarding the pandemic are reproduced in Sabah; and what kind of discursive challenges have been made by Sözcü against the government discourses. It can be argued that, newspapers representing different ideologies based on the media ownership structures present a certain framework to the readers. They reproduce or challenge the government discourses through their own ideological perspectives.

Considering Indigenous Environmental Issues in Canadian Curricula: A Critical Discourse Analysis

This article presents insights from a curricular review of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories with a focus on critical Indigenous environmental issues. This inquiry was conducted amidst nationally prominent events and socio-ecological movements such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Idle No More and numerous oil and gas pipeline protests. We share findings revealed through this review informed by Eisner’s (2002) three curricula—the explicit, implicit and null—and a qualitative critical discourse analysis methodology.

ПРОБЛЕМА ЭТНОКУЛЬТУРНЫХ НЕРАВЕНСТВ ГЛАЗАМИ ДАГЕСТАНСКОЙ МОЛОДЕЖИ: СОЦИОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ АНАЛИЗ

The article analyzes the perception of citizens of social inequality of ethnic and confessional groups and the impact of social differentiation of ethno-confessional groups on the integration of russian society. It presents a comparative sociological analysis of the state of ethno-religious rights of citizens in the minds of young people on the territory of the Republic of Dagestan and beyond. The author highlights the key problems of ethno-religious inequalities for Dagestan youth. The methodological basis of the study consists of the results of the author's sociological research conducted by the method of a continuous questionnaire survey. The paper also uses the methodology of discourse analysis of speeches and statements by political, public and religious figures, content analysis of the media.

“Anyone? Anyone?”: Promoting inter-learner dialogue in synchronous video courses

Previous discussions of synchronous modalities for online writing instruction have suggested the interpersonal benefits of this mode could minimize the isolation and transactional distance students can experience in online education. However, previous research on synchronous video courses (SVCs) has noted challenges for communication in this modality. This study examined these tensions between affordance and practice in SVCs, exploring how and why students participated and interacted in certain ways in these courses. A triangulated methodology of discourse analysis of class interactions and thematic analysis of interviews with students and instructors from the observed courses was used to present the prevalent discourse patterns within these courses and to contextualize these patterns within students’ and instructors’ experiences. Drawing on the findings of this study, this article presents recommendations for instructional practices faculty can use in SVCs to leverage the affordances and mitigate the challenges of teaching and learning in this modality.

Comic Memes and Sexist Humor in India: Tools for Reinforcement of Female Body-Image Stereotypes

Memes have been described as communicative and aesthetic practices that serve cultural, social, political purposes on a digital platform. Several studies, in the last decade, have attempted to study this digital aesthetic knowledge production as a powerful tool for political, racial, and gender-related discourses. Most often this knowledge is produced through comic multi-media texts. Many theorists believe that, digital media reinforces inequality, marginalization and such other social issues through the audio-visual-textual medium as much as it establishes the counter-discourses for equality, body activism, racial activism and the like. Speed and lack of censorship can be the cardinal reasons for the popularity of these memes. Among the mass-influencing gender-related memes are those encouraging fat-talk and body-image stereotypes. In the Indian context, ‘Tag a Friend’ memes is one such widely circulated meme which communicates body-shaming messages through sexist humor. It mainly targets the fat/colored/transgender women. The current study examines these memes using multimodal discourse analysis methodology. The paper attempts to investigate the revival/reproduction potential of color-shaming and body-shaming stereotypes via comic memes through Shiffman’s memetic dimensions. The analysis establishes that memes can be a prominent site for the re-production of the problematic ideology of body/color shaming even in the 21st century.

The image of Europe and the European Union in digital media of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia (discourse analysis 2005-2019)

The image of the EU and Europe in digital mass media of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia is studied in this article using the methodology of discourse analysis. Independent digital mass media Ukrainska Pravda, Nasha Niva, Lenta.ru, Novaya Gazeta are analysed (online publications from years 2005–2019). Three images of Europe in the media are indicated as a result of the research. In Ukraine: a strong reliance on Europe as the idea is observed. The EU and its institutions are stably present in political news, but European politicians are not so popular. In Belarus: Europe doesn’t structure political discussions, however, efforts of the neighbouring EU Member States may be important in the image creation. In Russia: there is not much interest towards Europe, but some approaches to present constant clashes between Russia and the West are evident in digital mass media. The research has confirmed the main hypothesis, which supposed that the mechanisms of creating the image of Europe and the EU in post-Soviet countries’ mass media are different, and the specifics of political discourse, as well as the states’ international politics define the image.

Understanding Korean-American first-graders’ written translanguaging practices

Qualitative discourse analysis and case study methodologies were employed, along with heteroglossic and sociocultural theories, to analyze the written translanguaging practices of four Korean-American first-graders over 14 weeks at a Korean heritage language school in the U.S. Written translanguaging characterized 21–31% of the writing produced by the three students who preferred English, and 3% of the writing produced by the student who preferred Korean. All four students demonstrated written translanguaging for metalinguistic and sociolinguistic functions, demonstrating their agency, bilingual identities, and audience orientation. Two students employed metatalk to problem-solve their writing, indicating metacognitive insight. The three students who translanguaged often appeared to be more interested in communication than in the form of their writing. The fourth student's written translanguaging involved transliteration for English proper nouns and unknown Korean words. Because the students were not taught translanguaging, their use of it appeared to be a natural byproduct of their bilingual status.

The cognitive-conceptual, planning-organizational, affective-social and linguistic-discursive affordances of translanguaging

Abstract The translanguaging turn in language education offers a new perspective on multilingualism by positing that multilingual learners have one linguistic repertoire rather than two or more autonomous language systems (García, O. & L. Wei. 2014. Translanguaging: Language, bilingualism and education. Palgrave MacMillan). When learners engage in translanguaging, they draw on all the features from their repertoire in a flexible and integrated way (Otheguy, R., O. García & W Reid. 2015. Clarifying translanguaging and deconstructing named languages: A perspective from linguistics. Applied Linguistics Review 6(3). 281–307. DOI:10.1515/applirev-2015-0014). While much of the current literature on language teaching advocates teachers’ use of pedagogical translanguaging, less research has focused on the pedagogical affordances of student-led translanguaging, especially in contexts with dominant monolingual norms. This paper presents the results of a case study exploring the affordances of translanguaging in two multilingual Grade 5 English language classrooms in Malaysia where English-only policies and practices were enforced by the teachers, but where translanguaging was used agentively by learners during their peer-to-peer interactions. The primary data sources for this six-month-long study included 100 30–90 min-long video recordings of 55 learners working together in small groups on various collaborative language learning activities, and member-checking interviews with the learners. The study was grounded in sociocultural theory and translanguaging, and employed a methodology of sociocultural discourse analysis. The results of the analysis revealed that in both classrooms, learners resisted the English-only policies and practices by using translanguaging widely and strategically throughout their collaborative peer-to-peer interactions. The use of translanguaging fulfilled 100 important cognitive-conceptual, planning-organizational, affective-social and linguistic-discursive functions that supported their individual and collective learning. The results of this study provide us with a view of translanguaging as collaborative and agentive, socioculturally situated and culturally responsive, and a resource for learning as well as a process of learning. The study makes recommendations for a language learning pedagogy that creates opportunities for learners to move language policies from the ground up through their collaborative use of translanguaging.

The Role of Medical Professionals in Shaping Healthcare Law during Covid-19

This article explores the changing nature of the allocation of healthcare resources during the Covid-19 crisis and how it may have shaped a new role for medical professionals in healthcare law and policymaking. It contrasts the traditional input of medical professionals in systemic healthcare reforms (1946, 1990 and 2012) with their role in the elaboration of ethical emergency guidance published by the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Physicians in March–April 2020, using a discourse analysis methodology and concepts borrowed from political philosophy.
 Keywords: Covid-19; medical professionals; healthcare law and policy; ethics; justice; emergency guidance.

“B” (Accompanying My Daughter Through Life): Critical Discourse Analysis

This study analyzes the poem “B” by Sarah Kay, through the interpretation of the various metaphors that compose it. This was poem was first published in 2011 and it is a love letter that the author sends the daughter she does not yet have. In order to do this a critical discourse analysis methodology is used (Fairclough, 1995), as well as an interpretation of the metaphors that are present in the poem (Lakoff, 2003).