Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this study seeks to illustrate how Donald Trump’s Inauguration Address incorporates elements of power which are embedded in various forms of American exceptionalism. Since the American myth of exceptionalism does not necessarily reveal itself at first glance, this thesis traces its variety of roots back in American history. By doing so, it explains how this myth emerged, how it became infused with power and how Trump’s rhetoric keeps it alive. The theoretical framework of this study is built on Michel Foucault’s writing on power and van Dijk’s concept of ideology. In addition, this study introduces the idea of legitimising myths in the context of Social Dominance Theory to highlight the effect ideologies have on societies. This thesis finds that some references to American exceptionalism in Trump’s speech can be attributed to the Colonial era. More specifically, Trump’s call for social cohesion, his allusions to predestination, his image of civilisation and his language on American labour bear close resemblance to Puritan discourses. Further, the theme of nationalism and limited government run through his speech, both of which are integral to American history and the myth of exceptionalism. In line with the general goals of CDA, this study exemplifies how ideologically charged language needs to be contextualised socio-historically to expose its relationship with power.

The German government’s decision in 2016 to reduce the number of incoming immigrants by suspending family reunification for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection for two years, sparked a controversial debate, with some critics arguing that family reunification represents a human right. Contributing to the very scarce literature about this development, the aim pursued in this thesis is to better understand the differing discourses and (de-)legitimation strategies regarding the suspension by comparatively analysing written statements handed in to German parliament by the government and civil society organisations in March of 2017. The theoretical framework underlying this thesis are the discursive understanding of human rights by Seyla Benhabib and Michel Foucault’s theorisation of power and knowledge. The methodological framework consists of a three-dimensional critical discourse analysis by Norman Fairclough complemented with an analysis of the four categories of (de-)legitimation by Theo van Leeuwen. The results of the analysis show that two types of discourse are pursued in the material: a legal, technical discourse by the government supported by (de-)legitimation strategies relying on national laws, administrative court decisions and the value of qualities like leadership and a discourse focused on the value of family life by the civil society organisations. Despite the diverse backgrounds of the civil society organisations analysed, coinciding (de-)legitimation strategies based on the importance of family life for integration and based on the case law of federal and European courts were identified.

The ability of media to create powerful images, which shape how readers understand certain issues, is very important, especially when linked to questions regarding the attitude towards the Other. This study focuses on a problem which has not been sufficiently addressed by researchers so far – how unaccompanied minors from Afghanistan are constructed in Swedish media. Using Norman Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis in combination with postcolonial theory, eight news pieces were selected from two of Sweden’s leading newspapers; Aftonbladet and Expressen, in order to provide a deeper understanding of the discourses underpinning these constructions. Thus, this paper finds that the media coverage of the group is often negative and conflict-centered, framing the unaccompanied minors as either suspected liars or criminals which further contributes to the polarization between “Us” and “Them” in the Swedish society. Framing unaccompanied minors in this way, Aftonbladet and Expressen can contribute to the (re)production of stereotypes, affect public opinion and influence political decision and action regarding the group.

This thesis investigates how the United Nations’ (UN) framing of “climate refugees” impacts global humanitarian migration and refugee governance in the context of anthropogenic climate change in which border zones become spaces of biopolitical decision making which impacts both governance strategies and International Relations as an academic field. It argues from a poststructuralist perspective that the UN’s discourse centred around climate change related human movement, the issue of “climate refugees” is downplayed, and “climate refugees” become bare life while their claims to legal protection are delegitimised. Thus, despite the concept of “climate refugees” becoming increasingly important in the Anthropocene, the UN’s discourse has remained vastly unchanged since McNamara’s analysis of it in 2007. The UN’s governance related discourse and reasoning concerning “climate refugees” and (humanitarian) global governance is explored through a Critical Discourse Analysis that examines a set of official UN documents which are relevant to the issue of forced human movement in the context of anthropogenic climate change.

The aim of this thesis is to study discourse in media by parents of children thatwere born through transnational commercial surrogacy arrangements, andintended parents who plan on going through this process in the future. I haveanalyzed media where this parental narrative is portrayed, using criticaldiscourse analysis combined with Carole Bacchis policy analysis WPRapproach.With the help of these I have identified primary issues that are beingportrayed in the media. I have further analyzed how these issues contribute inconsolidating existing norms surrounding the third world woman andcontribute to the justification of the commodification of the surrogate mother.This is done within a postcolonial feminist framework. The findings of thisstudy shows the glaring invisibility of the surrogate in media discourse,meaning her voice is never heard directly. Instead, interviewers and parentsalike offer a retelling of her narrative.

The forced displacement situations have, for a considerable time, emerged as an important development challenge on the international cooperation agenda. While the policies and practices of international organizations have gained much scrutiny, what they are saying and what discourses they are producing is less visible in academia. With the World Bank in focus, as an actor with a new role within the international refugee protection regime, this study seeks to explore this production and shaping of discourse. Further, the aim also seeks to examine the influence of power and hegemony in relation to discourse on this international level. Through a postcolonial perspective this study employs a Critical Discourse Analysis that presents a mainly conventional discourse of forced displacement in the context of development. The strong influence of Eurocentrism found in the analysis suggest a continued power imbalance, questioning the real benefit for the people and places of concern.

It could be argued that makeup are products that are almost exclusively targeting women, and the advertising of makeup could create an image of how women should look. This study investigates how two cosmetic brands, Maybelline and CoverGirl, are advertising makeup in social media and what this conveys about gender and beauty. The study is approached from Fairclough’s (1995) three dimensional model while considering strategies of advertising and gender discourse. Through a textual analysis, it was found that although the brands want to transmit an emotion of confidence to women, the advertisements still display and communicate gender in stereotypical ways.

This thesis is a critical investigation of the language used in online news headlines to report the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, which took place on February 14, 2018 in Florida, United States. By analyzing 50 online news headlines, published by five of the most popular national and local news outlets, the purpose of this study is to understand how the words chosen by the journalists contribute to creating particular meanings, or representations of the event, and if through these representations any hidden ideologies are put forward. The framework used to carry out the research combined Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis with van Dijk’s sociocultural approach, resulting in the study of three different but interrelated elements of discourse: sociocultural practice, or the social and cultural context of gun ownership in the U.S.; discourse practice, hence the processes behind the production of online headlines and the cognitive processes behind their interpretation; and finally, a linguistic analysis of the text itself. The analysis found that, despite the anticipated neutral stance of news journalists, dictated by professional values such as integrity and objectivity, hidden meanings and ideologies necessarily transpire in the language used to describe the violent event, and to represent victims and attacker.

This study scrutinises, from a critical perspective, how Swedish mainstream news media depict children and youths categorised as unaccompanied after the identified discursive shift in the late autumn of 2015, where a more hostile and negative reporting on refugees became even more prominent. In addition, it explores what different power structures that are made visible in the news reporting. This is made possible by scrutinising 40 articles from the major national newspapers in Sweden that have daily releases, the so called mainstream media. The critical discourse analysis is used as a method and theory in order to find a focus that is critical and questioning towards existing power structures. Additionally, it contains a focus on how borders and differences are created between certain groups of people by using theoretical perspectives on otherness and postcolonial theory. The study shows an ambivalent media picture and clearly makes unequal and hierarchical power structures visible through the use of different assumptions, accepted truths and journalistic techniques.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This interpretive study makes explicit the cultural cognitive structures on which education professionals rely as they determine an elementary-aged child as having an emotional and behavioral disorder through a critical discourse analysis of teacher talk and participant structure analyses.