Critical Discourse Analysis of Ethnic and Religious Minority Representation in Newspapers in Pakistan

Abstract Newspapers have a global readership and are responsible for the dissemination of information. Like most texts, they are written from human perspectives, and can perpetuate hegemonic constructions of otherisation. In each context, the conceptual binaries of ‘us’ versus ‘them’ varies and is propagated by newspaper media. Analysing the contents of newspapers for the representation of minorities is essential during the present times when intercultural and interethnic discourse is ubiquitous. Newspapers can play an instrumental role in curtailing imbalanced social constructions between majorities and minorities in society. The literature reviewed revealed no study undertaken to detect the representation of minorities of Pakistan in the newspaper media. To fill this gap, a critical discourse analysis and a quantitative content analysis of English newspapers in Pakistan was conducted to detect misrepresentation and marginalisation of minorities in the Pakistani context. The present study derived an eclectic critical framework of detectors from the literature reviewed on critical discourse analysis and stereotypical otherisation perpetuated through the newspaper’s media. The choice of critical detection framework was tailor made to fulfill the societal imbalances witnessed in the Pakistani context. Content analysis methods were applied to first investigate frequency of occurrences of elements of the framework within the newspaper corpus, and then critical discourse methods were used to qualitatively investigate these elements further. The findings highlighted misrepresentation and the perpetuation of stereotypical constructions of minorities in the newspapers. Minorities were perceived as problematic, not occupying positions of power, and as out-groups (otherisation). The employment of rhetorical devices; metonymy, nominalisation and passivisation were detected especially in the phrasing of headlines or sentences where majority perpetrators were involved. An analysis of images revealed that minorities were shown as targets of violence and at the received end of protests. Recommendations for the publication policies of English newspapers are made to conduct and incorporate writing workshops for journalists to integrate a more informed approach while penning newspaper content. Pedagogical implications, particularly for tertiary teachers of media disciplines are discussed to instil critical thinking and writing skills to manifest egalitarian writing stances. Future research implications are also outlined.