Mainstream Discourse Research Articles

Bibliometric Analysis on the Dynamics of Income Inequality in the Digital Economy

This study utilizes bibliometric analysis to explore the evolving discourse surrounding income inequality in the digital economy, identifying key thematic shifts and central scholarly contributions from 2000 to 2024. By employing VOSviewer to map keywords and author networks, the research reveals a significant transition in academic focus—from traditional aspects of economic disparity to more complex issues such as digital inequality and globalization. The findings underscore the increasing concern over how digital advancements intersect with and potentially exacerbate socioeconomic inequalities. A detailed examination of author collaborations suggests a robust, albeit evolving, network of scholarship that highlights the need for more interdisciplinary approaches and integration of emerging researchers into mainstream discourse. This study not only provides a comprehensive overview of the academic landscape but also offers insights into the practical implications for policy aimed at mitigating inequality in the digital age.

Working in precarity: examining mainstream discourses about street hawking in Ghana

Abstract This study sought to analyze how the media and the general public position street hawking in an economic environment typically constrained by neoliberal orthodoxy. We conducted a critical textual analysis of news articles, op-eds, and video clips from some of the most popular news media sources in Ghana and found that while informal work is often done in turbulent material conditions, marginality and precarity of street hawking are exacerbated by media and popular discourses that are anchored by neoliberalism. We also found that such discourses are resisted by counter-discourses. The study challenges neoliberal analyses of work and labor by explicating the tensions between the attraction to neoliberalism and the reality of its failures for informal work.

Female breast cancer survivor narratives on paths to healing after the conclusion of primary treatment: A qualitative study.

Female breast cancer survivors (BCS) experience different paths to healing after the conclusion of primary treatment. This study sought to describe the experiences of female BCS in the months and years after primary treatment by determining how and when healing happens, as well as what healing means to BCS. A qualitative approach was used through thematic analysis of data collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews from 17 female BCS. Data analysis identified four major themes: (i) the process of finishing treatment and continuity of care, (ii) support systems for BCS, (iii) self-efficacy and personal accountability, and (iv) the social transition after cancer. Factors that affect the healing of BCS can be conceptualized as external or personal. Participants found that barriers to healing created by external factors were addressed by improved coordination of care and high-involvement transition programs as opposed to conversational support groups. Barriers created by personal factors were mitigated through organically formed support systems and promotion of self-efficacy and resilience. Participants expressed a desire for a shift in mainstream discourse to better reflect their experiences. Each BCS conceptualized survivorship differently, with some seeing a clear end to healing, and others who viewed it as a lifelong process. Understanding the many paths to healing taken by BCS after concluding primary treatment, as well as common barriers to and catalysts for healing, can aid providers in addressing patient needs based on their individual experiences.

Beyond stereotypes: The story of a single-woman entrepreneur in a patriarchal society

ABSTRACT Even after four decades of research on gender in entrepreneurship, studies continue to show that entrepreneurial activities are often associated with masculine traits. With the increasing number of single women globally and India being the most populous country in the world, I introduce the story of Ana, a single-woman entrepreneur in India who navigates a patriarchal entrepreneurial landscape. This article used the narrative inquiry lens to collect the data. The analysis showed three main themes: neoliberal masculinity, hegemonic masculinity, and desirable femininity. Masculinity traits served as a temporary cloak or mask to protect women from the adversities of patriarchal society. Analysis of Ana’s journey offers insight into the population often hidden from mainstream discourses. The article further urges fostering a more inclusive entrepreneurial landscape by urging policy makers and practitioners to implement safety measures, offer financial support, and provide cultural reforms for single women entrepreneurs to navigate a patriarchal society.

Why DON'T We "Say Her Name"? An Intersectional Model of the Invisibility of Police Violence Against Black Women and Girls.

Racialized police violence is a profound form of systemic oppression affecting Black Americans, yet the narratives surrounding police brutality have disproportionately centered on Black men and boys, overshadowing the victimization of Black women and girls. In 2014, the #SayHerName campaign emerged to bring attention to the often-overlooked instances of police brutality against Black women and girls, including incidents of both nonsexual and sexual violence. Despite these efforts, mainstream discourse and psychological scholarship on police violence continue to marginalize the experiences of Black women and girls. This raises a critical question: Why DON'T we "Say Her Name"? This article employs intersectional frameworks to demonstrate how the historic and systemic factors that render Black women and girls particularly vulnerable to police violence also deny their legitimacy as victims, perpetuate their invisibility, and increase their susceptibility to state-sanctioned violence. We extend models of intersectional invisibility by arguing that ideologies related to age, in addition to racial and gender identities, contribute to their marginalization. Finally, we reflect on how psychological researchers can play a pivotal role in dismantling the invisibility of Black women and girls through scientific efforts and advocacy.

Corpus-based critical discourse analysis of NFT art within mainstream art-market discourse and implications for the political economy of digital art

The recent advent of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has profoundly disrupted the contemporary art market, but their status remains contested. While advocates tout the democratising potential of NFTs, critics dismiss them as a speculative bubble. This study elucidates the position of NFT art within mainstream art market discourse through an interdisciplinary analysis synthesising critical discourse analysis, corpus linguistics, and the political economy of art. Examining three key 2023 art market reports furnishes empirical insights into how influential institutions frame and valorise NFT art. Linguistic patterns reveal NFTs’ increasingly solid yet variable positioning across art market segments. NFT art appears well-integrated into mainstream discourse but remains emergent at the high end. The analysis reveals a complex picture, with the data showing both positive institutional framing and valorisation of NFT art, as well as the identification of ethical tensions and concerns around issues of accessibility, diversity, and sustainability within the NFT art market discourse. We find NFT art simultaneously amplifies and challenges existing hierarchies, creating new opportunities counterposed by risks.

The “chanification” of white supremacist extremism

AbstractMuch research has focused on the role of the alt-right in pushing far-right narratives into mainstream discourse. In this work, we focus on the alt-right’s effects on extremist narratives themselves. From 2012 to 2017, we find a rise in alt-right, 4chan-like discourse styles across multiple communication platforms known for white supremacist extremism, such as Stormfront. This discourse style incorporates inflammatory insults, irreverent comments, and talk about memes and online “chan” culture itself. A network analysis of one far-right extremist platform suggests that central users adopt and spread this alt-right style. This analysis has implications for understanding influence and change in online white supremacist extremism, as well as the role of style in white supremacist communications. Warning: This paper contains examples of hateful and offensive language.

Symbolic Cohesion and Interpretive Freedom

Within contemporary Australian and Indonesian society, diverse cultural and religious expressions are celebrated to promote mutual understanding and tolerance. However, while such expressions are treated as symbolic of broader pluralist or liberal ideals, the interpretive dynamics of these traditions are rarely considered integral to shaping mainstream discourse on social cohesion. In this article, we consider two distinctive contexts of Indigenous and minority engagement with aspirations for unity in diversity, a concept that can encapsulate a range of responses to varied contexts, such as religious diversity or the need for interdependence within social organisation. Specifically, we explore Warlpiri Australian formulations of kinship through ngurru-kurlu and Indonesian Christian engagement with Pancasila. Showing the potential for these perspectives to enrich broader discourse on social cohesion, we suggest that similarities in the originating impetus of these frameworks can stimulate heuristic enquiry and critical reflexivity across diverse settings. While upholding distinctly localised traditions and experiences, intimations of gift in traditional Warlpiri ceremony and Christian experience underscore the importance of relational generosity to the embodiment of unity in diversity.

Resistance from the Margins: ‘Untouchable’ Women’s Voices vis-à-vis the Gorkha Identity and the Gorkhaland Movement

Abstract One of the most conspicuous features of the Gorkhaland movement is the development of a strong sense of community that has subsumed many diverse voices within the dominant discourse of ethnicity. However, such ethno-nationalism is also problematic as it often results in the erasure of intersecting identity markers such as class, caste, and gender. In addition, the exclusive nature of the over-encompassing Nepali or Gorkha identity has led to harmful consequences for marginalized groups, particularly the lower castes. This paper thus brings to the fore alternative voices and perspectives, particularly those of women who come from the margins of caste society or who have been labelled as ideological adversaries. This paper further illustrates their unique experiences and perspectives, which are often ignored in mainstream discussions about the social reality of the Gorkhaland movement.

From the Syrian to Ukrainian refugee crisis: Tracing the changes in the Italian Twitter discussions through network analysis

Abstract This study examines the Italian Twitter landscape during the 2015 Syrian and 2022 Ukrainian refugee crises, with a focus on the evolution of anti-refugee discourse. Through the analysis of 400,000 tweets, we sought to identify attitudinal communities, track changes in user positions, and evaluate the trending potential of the communities. Our findings indicate a shift in opinion leaders within the anti-refugee community from 2015, alongside a persistent ability to influence public discourse. Additionally, while the pro-Ukrainian refugee community has grown, incorporating previously neutral users, it remains loosely connected. Finally, the shifts in attitudes of Italian populist leaders regarding Syrian and Ukrainian refugees are interpreted in light of the changes in user attitudes as observed in the communication networks. This research highlights the importance of computational communication methods for investigating fringe groups absent from mainstream discourse, and underscores the necessity of content moderation and proactive digital activism to counter anti-refugee sentiment online.

From Instagram to Society: The Impact of Social Media on Female Self-Sexualization

The proliferation of social media has facilitated extensive discussions on various social issues, with feminism being a particularly prominent topic of interest. Social platforms have not only provided individuals with the means to share their opinions on gender equality, but they have also, to some degree, fostered a greater comprehension and consciousness of feminism among the general population. Facilitated by internet communication, the evolution of societal perspectives has led to a transformation in our perception of gender roles, resulting in the increasing integration of feminism into mainstream discourse. This article examines the increasingly prevalent phenomenon of female self-sexualization in the context of social media in the United States. This study utilizes an extensive examination of existing literature to investigate the relationship between internalized gender discrimination, which is experienced through platforms like Instagram, and the male gaze. The investigation reveals that social media serves as a platform that mirrors and intensifies preexisting gender stereotypes, promoting women to conform to limited ideals of attractiveness and conduct.

Generative AI Adoption in Postsecondary Education, AI Hype, and ChatGPT’s Launch

The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into postsecondary education and many other sectors resulted in a global reckoning with this new technology. This paper contributes to the study of the multifaceted influence of generative AI, with a particular focus on OpenAI's ChatGPT within academic settings during the first six months after the release in three specific ways. First, it scrutinizes the rise of ChatGPT as a transformative event construed through a study of mainstream discourses exhibiting AI hype. Second, it discusses the perceived implications of generative AI for writing, teaching, and learning through the lens of critical discourse analysis and critical AI studies. Third, it encourages the necessity for best practices in the adoption of generative AI technologies in education.

Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s acousmatic sound: Listening to urban noises and decadent music in Daughter of the Nile

This paper reconsiders the mediation of urban noises and decadent music in Hou Hsiao-hsien’s long-overlooked film Daughter of the Nile (1987) under the contexts of noise control and popular entertainment in the late 1980s in Taiwan. It argues that the film embeds distinctive sounds in urban environments to create acousmatic soundscapes that are typically considered ambient noises in mainstream discourse. It further observes that the film provides a critical entry point to the historical debates over the definition and gov­ernance of noises at the time, complicating an overdetermined ­concept throughout the history of sonic perception. Offering a frame­work to understand the film’s mediation of Taipei’s urban soundscapes, the paper suggests that the film implies an ethic of listening that calls for a more careful attention to the multifarious sounds that reflect the power dynamics between the authority and the residents in the city.

We are not a virus: repercussions of anti-Asian online hate during the COVID-19 pandemic on identity and coping strategies of Asian-heritage individuals

ABSTRACT Current scholarship has identified online hate speech as one of the main threats in digital spaces, leading to an ever-heightened marginalization of ethnic minorities. The COVID-19 pandemic has given racist expressions of hate a new momentum, directed particularly at Asian-heritage individuals who were scapegoated as the originators of the virus. This study explores the repercussions of this for Asian-heritage individuals living in Europe, specifically their (1) identity and (2) coping strategies. Using semi-structured interviews with N = 14 Asian-heritage individuals, the study shows how this group was hatefully othered online, with severe consequences for its members’ sense of hybrid belonging and ethnic identity. Initial defense attempts were muted, and individuals surrendered to passive coping strategies, withdrawing from mainstream discourse. The study shows how identity and coping were inextricably intertwined. Taking this case as an example for minority victimization during crises, we discuss potential empowerment perspectives for ethnic minority individuals.

Global Political Logics and Mainstream Discourses on Illness in the Declarations of the State of Exception in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Case of the USA, France, and Spain.

At the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, several countries declared "states of exception," that is, authorized legal devices that, in the face of circumstances deemed catastrophic, permit the implementation of extraordinary measures and the temporary suspension of some rights in order to restore the previous state of affairs as soon as possible. This paper offers a comparative textual analysis of the different states of exception declared in the USA, France, and Spain. I argue that these texts constitute a privileged site to explore how prevalent global political logics and mainstream discourses on illness are interwoven. Regarding the global political logics in play, I hold that these declarations constitute an instantiation of democracy's autoimmune character; it attacks itself in order to protect itself. Regarding mainstream discourses on illness, I explore how illness is regarded as a threat to one's self (by something seemingly other) and the notion that therapy must consist of securing the self's triumph over anything seemingly other. This twofold analysis reveals that an aporetic dialectic between self and other-as regards politics and illness-operates in these declarations, most likely because it is, in fact, one and the same dialectic, upon which Western epistemology rests. Furthermore, I suggest that these texts reflect and promote these dominant logics, contributing to shape human relationships around the globe in a certain dangerous way.

The elephant in the mine: Why voluntary sustainability standards are insufficient to ensure responsible mining

Environmental, social, and governance standards, along with mining sustainability and transparency initiatives, have taken centre stage in mainstream discussions about how society can source energy transition minerals responsibly. While we acknowledge the importance of private voluntary sustainability standards for improving mining performance and accountability, these must support and complement the crucial regulatory role played by the state and its enforcing agencies in resource-rich countries. From this perspective, we argue that the quality of public institutions remains ‘the elephant’ often overlooked in the room of global mining standards, and we call for re-centring the responsible mining debate around it.Tailings dam failures and uncertainties on the water impacts of brine-based lithium mining provide examples of why institutional strengthening in mineral-rich countries is crucial. The responsible mining agenda and its implementing instruments should shift from a focus on companies’ performances to one that is embedded in society with the aim of building trust in the sector and its governing authorities. For countries rich in transition minerals, this entails, among other things, reviewing organisational structures, strengthening authorities’ enforcement capacities, and allocating sufficient budget for regulators to deliver their oversight duties and avoid over-reliance on private standards.

‘Axis of Evil’ and the Academic Repression of Palestine Solidarity

In general, Palestine solidarity activism—irrespective of how and where it happens—faces censorship and repression, whereby solidarity with Palestine as a (national) cause is stigmatized and considered toxic to any mainstream discussion of the politics of Palestine/Israel. Academia tends to follow this norm of stigmatization and toxification of Palestine solidarity and any recognition of the legitimacy of the Palestinian struggle for liberation is viewed as a violation of the norms of scientific (i.e. objective) knowledge production. More recently, the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism has played a critical role in censuring and censoring individual scholars and scholarship deemed too supportive of the Palestinian struggle. In this article, however, I view this manner of repression as embedded in a political project that extends far beyond the working definition. Specifically, I argue that the academic repression of Palestine solidarity draws on the lasting discursive legacies of the Global War on Terror that sought to bifurcate the world into ‘good’ and ‘evil.’ Drawing on my personal experiences of repression where my work has been charged as being antisemitic, sympathetic to terrorism/terrorists and defending fundamentalism, I argue that lumping Palestinian solidarity with all things evil, abnormal, disruptive, negative, and inappropriate represents a continuation of the Global War on Terror as the Palestinian cause is toxified as nothing more than an extension of the ‘Axis of Evil.’

Latin American female migrants’ negotiation of sex work, international borders and internal barriers in Istanbul

Based on participant observation, numerous informal conversations and ten semi-structured interviews, this paper explores the complexities of Latin American female migrants’ mobility towards Europe via Turkey. By analyzing ethnographic data accounting for their life stories, interactions with ‘traffickers’, experiences in Istanbul, and the difficulties to reach their destinations, it deconstructs dominant perspectives about human trafficking and sex work. Their narratives dislocate mainstream discourses that homogenize international migration under institutional categories, predetermined experiences and subjectivized ontologies. Upon arrival, unforeseen circumstances truncated previous plans, encapsulating them within Turkish borders where finding means to survive and continue moving turned challenging. Meanwhile, they must deal with internal barriers, including gender relations, gender-based violence and sociocultural, linguistic, economic, political and legislative hindrances that exacerbate precarity and risks. These journeys can become entangled with sex work, either induced or independently exercised with the intention of opposing immobilizing border regimes. Despite exposure to violence and abuse, these women continuously negotiate their own subjectivities, while dealing with unfamiliar and hostile settings, demonstrating tenacious expressions of subjective and collective agency that assist them in surviving and pursuing their life projects.

Man of Action: Murray N. Rothbard’s Contributions to the Theory of Entrepreneurship

Even though entrepreneurship underlies Rothbard’s economic theorizing, his contributions to this topic are spread among many writings. This paper traces a comprehensive idea of Rothbard’s “Man of Action,” the capitalist-entrepreneur in the causal-realist tradition of the Austrian School, organizing his thinking. Rothbard defines the entrepreneur as the economic agent who judges at the present about the future and directs production processes by controlling and allocating productive resources in search for profit. By organizing his ideas, I demonstrate how they differ from arguably similar approaches—notably Kirzner’s and Schumpeter’s—and argue that his strand of theorizing is the one in line with praxeology in the lineage of Menger, Böhm-Bawerk and Mises. I show that his contributions influenced others and are reflected in contemporaneous developments in both causal-realist and mainstream discussions. To close, I suggest how to use his ideas to continue to advance the theoretical understanding of the engine of the market process.

Architectures of Terror

International Relations theory, in spite of having undergone several epistemic iterations, continues to analyze urban warfare via outdated perspectives. This is exemplified in the state-centric analyses that dominate the literature on the history of Israel-Palestine. There is an overwhelming concentration on policy and belligerent behaviors and little to no consideration of anthropocentric perspectives. This results in a near-total exclusion of human suffering from discussions of the conflict and its impacts on everyday civilian life, which in turn heavily alters the socio-political foundations. The academic domains of critical theory and human geography have, however, made good progress in capturing the severity of these discourses, enabling a nuanced understanding of the manner in which conflict management takes place. This paper aims to unify these perspectives and in so doing, expand the grammar of realpolitik – identifying it as a competent domain of IR that primarily focuses on conflict and its modalities. Making use of diffractive reading and analysis, this paper showcases the impact of realpolitik from the perspective of those affected. The aim is to inject empathy into contemporary mainstream discussions that deal with complex geopolitical situations such as Israel-Palestine. To that end, post-structuralist perspectives from continental philosophy, human and critical geography and affect theory are employed. Additionally, the philosophy of realism is theorized to be the epistemic foundation of realpolitik, and is subsequently dissected. The paper concludes by arguing for interdisciplinary approaches into the existing subject matter of realpolitik, a re-evaluation of the epistemic foundations and reflections on practical novelties. Note that this paper in no way aims to suggest political solutions, legal interventions or strategic shifts, but rather interprets the methods of urban warfare used by the Israeli Defense Forces, which defies traditional operational logic.