Political Discourse Research Articles

Lay narratives of nationhood: Time, place and emotion in the talk of populist radical right‐wing supporters in Finland

AbstractInspired by previous research showing how populist radical right‐wing parties capitalise discussions around nation, this article examines Finnish lay citizens' understanding of nationhood in the context of rising right‐wing populism. Drawing on in‐depth interviews with voters of a populist party (N = 25) and using the photo‐elicitation method, this study explores how participants use time, place and emotions to construct their national identity. Through a narrative‐discursive analysis, three emotional narratives were identified—respecting the past, beloved places of identity and admiring traditional ways of living—each contributing to social identity continuity. The findings reveal the interplay between political discourses and embodied, affective meaning‐making, highlighting the importance of approaching the nation as an affective community and using image‐based methodologies to study complex national identities.

Populism, anti-populism and minorities: Governmental discourses on the Romani people in Greece (2015-2022)

The beginning of the 21st century is characterized by the rise of extremism nationalism, racism and xenophobia that deeply affect minority rights, such as the Roma that face diachronically blatant discrimination and racism. Due to the fact that many of the political leaders who underestimate the rights of minorities express often a populist discourse, a debate has opened up about the relationship between populism and minorities. There are many scholars who believe that populism tends to undermine liberal features like minority protections. But is populism necessarily an anti-pluralist and anti-minority phenomenon? What about the case of left-wing populism? Why do we avoid focusing on the relationship between anti-populism and minorities? In this article, we examine the relationship between populism, anti-populism and minorities through the case of two different governmental discourses in crisis-ridden Greece. Specifically, we focus on the governmental political discourse and policies of the populist SYRIZA (2015-2019) and anti-populist ND (2019-2022) on Roma, with the aim of showing that populism is not necessarily anti-pluralist, while anti-populism is not always pluralist, as both phenomena can follow inclusionary or exclusionary logics.

Rhetoric-Linguistic Analysis of Argumentation in Political Discourse

This paper delves into the fascinating world of argumentation in language, aiming to provide an in-depth analysis of argumentation strategies utilized in political speeches, to uncover the techniques employed by public figures to persuade, influence, and shape public opinion. This research examines the linguistic and rhetorical devices prominent in political discourse. By dissecting speeches from political contexts, the study reveals how politicians construct and present their arguments to advance their agendas. Through the exploration of persuasive language and emotional appeal, this paper offers insights into the art of rhetoric in the realm of politics. The findings highlight the intricate interplay between language, power, and public discourse, ultimately contributing to a nuanced understanding of the role argumentation plays in shaping political landscapes. The study aims at analyzing how the Toulmin model is used in conjunction with emotional appeal in political speeches, specifying the effect of the social relationships between the speaker and the audience on the way arguments are constructed and presented, and identifying the effects of the goals of the speech on the way arguments are constructed and presented. The data of the study includes YouTube videos of politicians` speeches. The study uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to identify and analyze the method of arguing that is used, the strategies used to persuade the audience, and the rhetoric used to influence their effectiveness. The findings of the study show that the effectiveness of this arguing act is influenced by a number of factors, including the credibility of the speaker, the strength of the argument, and the social relations and common ground between the participants. The study also finds that emotional appeal is used to sway public opinion and advance political agendas.

The Politics of Identity Markers: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Pakistani English Newspapers

This study looked at how politicians come about with their political identities using identity markers to communicate their ideology(s) and ideas in political discourse. This study attempted to examine such identifying markers employed by Imran Khan (PTI), Fazal-ur-Rehman (JUI-F), Nawaz Sharif (PML-N), and Bilawal Bhutto (PPP) in Dawn and The Express Tribune news between 2018 and 2023. Data was obtained from the sites of a number of newspapers using a qualitative research method, using Fairclough's 3D model. Important markers of identification were phrases such as youth, corruption, accountability, and Naya Pakistan (new Pakistan), as well as cultural symbols, like flags and turbans. The ongoing use of pronouns, metaphors, and authoritative language by politicians helped to make societal topics such as power dynamics, corruption, and development lively. It is found that Fairclough's approach to the analysis of political identity markers can be put to good use.

Meme-Ing Waves: unpacking political narratives in the Romanian context

ABSTRACT Political memes are no longer (only) a humorous feature of internet culture, but also act as a vehicle for information diffusion and reimaging of politics. Using a mixed-methodology approach, combining content analysis, descriptive statistics, and social network analysis, this study unravels the complex dynamics of political memes within the Romanian context, uncovering how memes reflect and shape political narratives. By focusing on the political discourse surrounding the 2020 Romanian parliamentary elections, this research highlights the underlying power dynamics and themes prevalent within the Romanian political landscape. The study finds that memes frequently amplify the visibility of incumbent political actors from governing parties, unveiling their symbolic importance. Memes also tend to reflect salient themes and issues, such as corruption and incompetence, serving as a means of criticizing the personal attributes of politicians and overshadowing policy matters. Finally, the analysis reveals the intricate web of political affiliations formed through cross-cutting communities within the emerging subthemes of the meme corpus. Overall, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of memes as a driving force for political commentary, framing, and engagement.

All you need is [somebody's] love "third-party reproduction" and the existential density of biological affinity.

What is the true significance of biological kinship? During the last decades, it seemed to be uncontroversial that abandoned and even adopted people feel the negative impact of biological parents' absence throughout life in several ways (Miller et al. 2000; Keyes, Margaret A., Anu Sharma, Irene J Elkins, and William G. Iacono, Matt McGue. 2008. The Mental Health of US Adolescents Adopted in Infancy. Archive Pediatric Adolescense Medicine 162(5): 419-425.). However, in the case of people conceived via "third-party reproduction", especially in sperm donation, the disruption of the kinship network derived from natural bonds tends to be presented as something irrelevant. This article disputes that assumption, explores its relationship with a deconstructivist vision that presents kinship as a purely social construct and defends the personal and existential value of a person's biological bonds with her parents. While analysing the anthropological shift inherent to the way some political discourses present the nuclear family and heterologous biotechnology, it proposes renewed philosophical attention on the significance of filiation and human affinity. This article argues for the density of genealogical ties and defends that the consecration of an individual "right to a child", namely (but not exclusively) through the normalised access to sperm banks, is incompatible with the rights of the child, since it deprives people from knowing not only who but also how is their father.

Application of Content Analysis in Research of Political Discourse

Content analysis is one of the most frequently applied methods for the research of various forms of discourse, including political discourse. As a research technique, it was developed in studies on communication and is now frequently used in linguistics, for example, in text analysis, systematic studies of written text or transcribed speech, as well as in research on nontextual message content. The following article deals with the application of content analysis in research into political discourse and discusses the crucial concepts of the research method. Specifically, it describes the manifest and latent content of political texts and presents two notions particularly useful in the evaluation of content analysis, i.e., ‘reliability’ and ‘validity.’ Additionally, two broad approaches to content analysis are discussed. The first is qualitative content analysis, and the second is quantitative content analysis.

On the Axiological Shift in Europe and Its Impact on the European System of Human Rights as Exemplified by the Council of Europe and European Union

Abstract This article investigates shifts in the primary sources of political and axiological discourse in Europe in the area of human rights. Assumed that there may have been two main causes, firstly, the ongoing cultural change in Europe and the departure from the Christian cultural and axiological foundations in Europe, which also affects the interpretation of human rights, is discussed. Secondly, there may perhaps have been progressive change in the source of human rights, and a departure from the concept of human dignity as a universal source of human rights, in the direction of a European cultural interpretation. This change will be shown by reference the Council of Europe and the EU. The theoretical inspiration for this article has been the theory of Christian Reus Smit, who in his own way shows an alternative history to the formation of the structures of the international system, showing that its fragmentation has been taking place around the consolidation of societies (and states) around newly-created rights. Taking this inspiration into account, the article tries to look at Europe through this prism and the European system of human rights protection in relation to the universal one.

Social rights in a post-colonial welfare state: Revisiting ‘universality’ and ‘inclusivity’

Scholars have long overlooked the impact of colonialism on the development of European welfare states and their mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion. In this article we address this blind spot by examining the ‘pension gap’ of Surinamese-Dutch elderly residing in the Netherlands, many of whom receive reduced public old age pensions. We examine the historical origins of this exclusion from full benefits through a discursive historical analysis of policy documents and parliamentary debates between 1919 and 2023 as well as political claims made by activists. We find that the Dutch welfare state was built on an exclusionary interpretation of social citizenship, granting social rights only to the citizens residing in the metropole. The exclusion of colonial citizens from social rights was deemed self-evident and anchored in laws and political discourses that, although increasingly contested, remain operative today. Our findings question core assumptions in the welfare state literature, especially those regarding the ‘universality’ of social rights and the taken-for-granted boundaries drawn around deserving polities. Thus, we argue that coloniality, territoriality and racialization are indispensable concepts for scholars to engage with in the analysis of social rights stratifications in Europe.

Blumenberg and Habermas on Political Myths

Myths—symbolically dense narratives in wide cultural circulation that resist critical scrutiny—are often thought to be counterproductive to political discourse, but they are also ubiquitous in contemporary culture and society. Just two years apart, Jürgen Habermas and Hans Blumenberg developed contrasting visions of how we ought to respond to the myths in our society. By reconstructing their disagreement, this paper uncovers the distinctive challenge of balancing a commitment to political emancipation with the opacity of myths to critical reason. I argue for an alternative approach to myths than those in the theoretical mainstream, taking Blumenberg’s relatively neglected position as a starting point. Blumenberg invites us to pay closer attention to the cognitive needs that necessitate the generation of myths while simultaneously reminding us of our own creative agency to reinvent them.

Political interest, political ideology, and attitudes toward immigration

Although much research has been devoted to how political interest is related to different political outcomes, little is known about its influence on attitudes toward immigration. In line with deliberative theory, political interest should facilitate greater exposure to various perspectives via political discussions and other forms of political engagement that, in turn, should contribute to more positive attitude toward those with differing views or backgrounds. Using data from the European Social Survey, including 39 countries across 10 survey rounds 2002–2021, this study shows that political interest is positively related to immigrant acceptance. However, there is moderation effect of conservative values. Being politically interested is associated with a higher probability of holding pro-immigrant attitudes among weak conservatives, while there is no significant association among strong conservatives. This finding can be explained by the motivated cognition theory, which states that individuals tend to seek out and pay more attention to information that supports their strong pre-existing ideologies. For individuals with ideologies that predispose them to adopt very negative attitudes toward immigration (strong conservatives), being politically interested might entail a greater exposure and attention to ideology-congruent perspectives and, as a result, confirmation of initial predispositions.

Ideological Manipulation in Aljazeera Live News Interpretation: A Normative Study

Translation and Interpretation has long been scrutinised from the linguistic, social, and cultural perspectives, with a recent emphasis on the impact of social, cultural, and ideological factors on translation. Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS), pioneered by Gideon Toury, prioritise understanding translations within social and cultural contexts rather than prescribing norms. Political news translation and interpretation, particularly in conflict contexts, underscores the sensitive and controversial nature of translation decisions as they are influenced by political and ideological stances. This study investigates the dominant norms shaping the interpretating of international news on Al-Jazeera’s Live Channel. Through qualitative content analysis guided by Toury’s framework, the prevailing interpreting norms were identified. Analyses revealed the dominance of target-oriented norms in Al-Jazeera’s interpreters, reflecting adherence to the target culture's social, cultural, and ideological norms. The study contributes to our understanding of interpreting as a socially-embedded practice and its implications for political discourse and ideological representation.

Populism and contingency

Abstract Populism has been examined in depth in the last decades both from theoretical and empirical approaches. Among the topics that scholars have studied, the ideological flexibility of populist discourses is one of the most controversial and difficult to analyse. Although a large body of research has explored this peculiar characteristic of populist political discourses, this paper provides an original interpretation of populism by assessing this flexibility drawing on the importance of George Sorel’s theory in discourse theory, which could contribute to a better understanding of populist theory. Understanding populism from a discursive framework could explain the intrinsic contingency of populism and the emergence of both radical right and radical left populisms. This study aims to trace the theoretical path from the influence of Sorel’s Theory of Myth on populist discourse theory to its current implications for populist discourses, resulting in the multifaceted nature of populism.

‘Par mesure de prudence’. Flood prevention and river regulation in Demer-Dijle confluence area (NE Belgium), 1840s–1880s

Abstract This article analyses the views of experts and political discourse on river regulation, its objectives, and flood prevention in the rural Demer-Dijle catchment areas, the 1840s–1880s – a period marked by climatological extremes and agricultural transition. Via a close read of state archives and parliamentary discussions, we unravel different opinions and interests and find that not all flooding was unwanted. While the Ministry of Public Works, at first, aimed to better regulate water discharge and to improve watercourses for navigational purposes, it later prioritised agricultural interests. However, managing rivers coherently and efficiently was challenging because river powers were dispersed over ministerial departments, provinces, and municipalities that made coordinating upstream and downstream river works difficult. Floods often resulted in the drawing up of new plans, but their implementation often failed to materialise because the government had other worries and insufficient resources available while parliamentarians prioritised the interests of their constituencies.

SENTIMENT ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC OPINION ON PRESIDENTIAL ADVISORY APPOINTMENTS USING NAIVE BAYES CLASSIFICATION

Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have become significant channels for public discourse, where users freely express opinions, including negative sentiments and hate speech. To better understand public opinion, particularly in politically charged contexts, sentiment analysis can classify user comments as either positive or negative. This study aims to analyze public sentiment regarding the formation of a special advisory team for President Jokowi, using a sentiment classification approach. The study employed a Naïve Bayes classifier to analyze sentiment from 3,000 comments gathered from Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. The dataset was divided into 80% training data (used to train the model with known sentiment) and 20% test data. The Naïve Bayes algorithm was chosen for its simplicity and effectiveness in handling large datasets in text classification tasks. The Naive Bayes classification on sentiment analysis of public opinion regarding the appointment of presidential advisors achieved an overall accuracy of 71% in classifying the test data. Negative sentiment was classified with an accuracy of 71%, while positive sentiment was classified with an accuracy of 70%. The results demonstrate that the Naïve Bayes classifier is a viable method for sentiment analysis in political discourse, although the model's performance indicates room for improvement. The novelty of this research lies in its focus on sentiment analysis of public opinion specifically related to presidential advisory appointments, an area not yet extensively explored in sentiment analysis studies. This study contributes to the field by providing insights into the public’s perception of political decisions using machine learning techniques. The implications for future research include refining classification methods for better accuracy and applying the model to other political or governmental topics.

Understanding Inward-Looking Nationalism: An Instrumentalist Approach in Analyzing the Discourse of The People’s Alliance in Turkey1

Abstract Many theories, approaches, definitions have been laid down for the understanding of nationalism, which simultaneously produces many questions to answer later on. One of the recent debates is the ‘inward looking’ nature of nationalism. Whether it is the recent pandemic, Brexit, or alarming rates of Islamophobia in the West with an identitarian populist flavor, the issue pertains to nationalism, or for some, nativism. Contemporaneously with an ‘inward looking’ instrumentalist nature, it uncovers new debates arising out of the conflicts in today’s nation-states. One of these appears to be the ruling coalition known as the ‘People’s Alliance’ (de facto alliance between the Justice and Development party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi) and the National Movement Party (Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi) in Turkey thanks to its nationalist rhetoric, yet with an ‘inward looking’ direction. The deepening of polarization is causing a mutual fear, mistrust, and antipathy among the people in Turkey. As the coalition aims to re-invigorate the nation, its opponents are claiming it is a dissemination of hatred. This political rift is deepening via the political discourse and atmosphere. The goal of this paper is to inquire into this via a critical discourse analysis. The study analyzes the discourse of the party leaders forming the People’s Alliance. This discourse displays an inward-looking nationalist rhetoric, circling around three prominent issues: the proclamation of opponents as traitors via a blame shifting rhetoric; the protection of the fate of the coalition as the savior of the country; and finally, the determination of who adheres to the nation or not via the native and national (yerli ve milli) debate.

The Development of Public Conscience: Hume’s Third Way Between Hobbes and Locke

Hume devised a third way between Hobbes and Locke that bolstered the former’s defense of stability and the latter’s defense of rebellion. This feat remains underappreciated. Hume’s third way rests on the idea of the public conscience, which, like Hobbes’s idea of the public conscience, derives from communication and consensus. The public conscience orients us toward the public interest, which, in Hume’s theory, is the authoritative standard by which individuals and government alike must abide. In this paper, I elaborate on the moral psychological principles that underlie Hume’s concept of the public conscience, which is liable to both conservative liberal and progressive liberal interpretations. And I argue that Hume’s third way provides valuable insight into the logic of public political discourse in liberal societies.

Arguments against Federalism in Nepal: A Discussion on State Structure Reform

Aims: This study critically examines the evolution of federalism in Nepal and its challenges within the country's diverse political, social, and ethnic landscape. The objective is to explore how political parties, ethnic groups, and indigenous communities differ in their perspectives on state restructuring and national unity. Study Design: Qualitative study. Place and Duration of Study: This study utilizes secondary data sources from library archives, academic articles, party manifestos, public speeches, and reports published over the past decade. Methodology: The study applies thematic analysis to secondary data, identifying recurring themes such as nationalism, ethnic identity, governance structures, and critiques of federalism. Sources include academic literature and public documents on political discourse in Nepal. Results: The study reveals that the debate on federalism is highly contested, particularly in terms of ethnic fragmentation, socio-economic risks, and national disintegration. Political opposition to federalism raises concerns about governance, ethnic relations, and national cohesion. Conclusion: Federalism in Nepal remains a complex and contested issue, with significant political and ethnic implications. The study highlights the need for more historical and cultural research to support federal restructuring based on identity, while addressing concerns about the risks posed to national unity and economic stability.

The Role Of The Press In Shaping Public Opinion During The Freedom Struggle

The role of the press during the freedom struggle was instrumental in shaping public opinion and galvanizing the masses against colonial oppression. As India sought independence from British rule in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, newspapers, journals, and pamphlets emerged as vital tools for disseminating nationalist ideas and fostering political awareness. The press not only reported on events but also provided a platform for political discourse, allowing voices from diverse communities to contribute to the independence narrative. Great figures such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, and other leaders utilized the press to articulate their visions for a free India, framing the struggle in terms of justice and self-determination. Newspapers like "The Hindu," "The Times of India," and "The Tribune" played crucial roles in informing the public about the injustices of colonial rule, inspiring a collective consciousness among various strata of society. Editorials, articles, and letters to the editor encouraged civic engagement and mobilized support for protests, strikes, and other forms of resistance. The press faced significant challenges, including censorship and repression from colonial authorities, which often sought to suppress dissenting voices. Despite these obstacles, many journalists and editors risked their safety to publish revolutionary ideas and expose the realities of British exploitation. This resilience illustrated the press's commitment to truth and justice, fostering an environment where public sentiment could coalesce around the freedom movement. The emergence of vernacular publications further broadened the reach of nationalist sentiments, ensuring that the message of independence resonated across linguistic and cultural divides. These publications played a crucial role in educating the masses and instilling a sense of pride and identity that transcended regional differences. The press was not merely a bystander but a catalyst in the freedom struggle, shaping public opinion and uniting diverse groups against colonial rule. Its influence extended beyond immediate political outcomes, contributing to the formation of a national consciousness that would endure long after independence was achieved. This study highlights the indispensable role of the press in the socio-political landscape of the freedom struggle, illustrating its enduring legacy in contemporary society.

How the educational level of confidants impacts our political attitudes?

Abstract The role of an individual’s educational level in shaping their political attitudes is very well documented. Also, social networks formed by both our strong and weak ties are generally segregated by educational level. Dove-tailing these two observations raised the question of whether the educational level of one’s confidants also independently impacts an individual’s political attitudes; however, this question has gotten hardly any attention. Therefore, we theorize and study the role of education in the core discussion network, including the question under what conditions the influence of our confidant’s education on our political attitudes is especially strong. Empirically, we use a random intercept cross-lagged panel model to disentangle selection effects from the influence effects of interest. We find a small but robust influence effect of confidants’ educational attainment on political attitudes of ego. However, confidants’ influence does not depend on the degree of dyadic political discussion, confidant newness, and dyadic similarity.