The Representation of the Iraq War in the Western Media Evaluated Using Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis, Chomsky's Media Model, and Furedi's Arguments
Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is an interdisciplinary approach to analyzing discourse which applies methods from linguistics, philosophy, rhetoric and sociology Its aim is to deconstruct how language is used in order to understand how meaning is constructed in discourse. CDA is especially useful for looking at how power and ideology are embedded in discourse. In other words, it looks at how certain discourse is used to maintain or challenge dominant structures of power and knowledge.
Essay topics related to CDA include:
1. Analyzing the Discourse of Donald Trump: This essay topic could look at the rhetorical strategies used by President Donald Trump in his speeches, tweets, and interactions with the media. It could explore how Trump's use of language reflects his authoritarian worldview, as well as how it affects discourse in the larger political sphere.
2. Interrogating the Discourse of Online Social Media: This essay could explore the way power is constructed and perpetuated in the language used in online social media, looking at how certain groups of people are represented and how those representations affect offline discourse and behaviors.
3. Examining Discourse in Anti-Racist Activism: This essay could focus on the language and rhetoric used by anti-racist activists in their discourse, looking at how CDA can help examine how power is negotiated and how it affects (and is affected by) popular discourse.
4. Unpacking the Discourse of Patriarchy: This essay topic could investigate the language and rhetoric used to maintain the patriarchal system of power and knowledge, exploring how such discourse is sustained and how it affects wider discourse on gender roles.
5. Investigating the Discourse of Popular Culture: This essay could look at the language and discourse used in popular culture, examining how certain attitudes and values are perpetuated in the media. It could also look at how CDA can help reveal ways of challenging these attitudes and values.