A study of the treatment of the Korean conflict in english-language newspapers through critical discourse analysis

Abstract

Critical discourse analysis gives us the tools to study the use of language from a social perspective. I aim to give an overview of the main currents and ideas of critical discourse analysis, and afterwards use its methodology to analyse written texts dealing with the Korean conflict in the English-language press. The Korean conflict has been an ongoing political and military struggle sapnning from the end of Wold War II (1945) to our days. The development of nuclear weapons by the PDRK (Democratic's People Republic of North Korea) and the role of the United States of America in the conflict make it one of the most talked about international topics these days, especially after the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States. Before my analysis of the press, Iwill contextualise the situation with historical facts, so that any possible bias or manipulation may be counterbalanced. I will look at the treatment thar news and articles give to North Korea and the Korean conflict in English language media through an orientalist gaza by western media. Ultimately, this study is about the way thar language may condition the way we cognise the world.