Media discourse and ethno-sectarian strife in Syria : a critical discourse analysis of the Syrian media

Abstract EN

This study is mainly aimed at discovering the role of media discourse in igniting and escalating ethno-sectarian disputes in Syria.

A critical discourse analysis was conducted on media items published by five Syrian media outlets with different political affiliations.

A total of five articles have been analyzed for the sake of accomplishing the goal of this study.

Manipulative strategies, including omission-commission and the use of propaganda through repetition and emotional appeal, have been applied as part of the analysis to investigate the discursive practices of Syrian media outlets.

The results illustrated the use of a sectarian-based discourse by these media corporations, which may have contributed to the incitement and escalation of ethno-sectarian rifts and cleavage among the components of the Syrian society.