English Article Vol. 4 No. 01 (2026): AL-ĪMĀN Research Journal (january-March 2026) Published 31-03-2026

A Comparative Critical Discourse Analysis Across News Media, Political Speeches, and Social Media

Authors

  • Rimsha Malik* Department of Urdu, Thal University, Bhakkar, Punjab, Pakistan. Pakistan Author
  • Muhammad Hammad Department of Biological Sciences, Thal University, Bhakkar, Punjab, Pakistan. Pakistan Author
  • Muhammad Hamza Department of Pharmacy, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, KPK, Punjab. Pakistan Author
DOI: https://doi.org/10.63283/IRJ.04.01/19
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Abstract

In this systematic literature review, the issue of how power is constructed, legitimized, and challenged through language use in Pakistani media discourses will be analyzed. Relying on the theoretical constructs of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), especially Fairclough's model of CDA and Van Dijk's ideological square, this literature review analyzes 50 publications that proved highly pertinent in the context of this study from the 103 candidate articles. Political power is frequently constructed in Pakistani media discourses using the language of ideology, metaphors, personal pronouns, and legitimation language, which are primarily employed by elites. Moreover, the dichotomy of "us versus them" is evident in Pakistani communicative discourses; according to the discourse analysis results, sociopolitical polarization is reproduced in all three mediums, whereas the counter-hegemonic discourse appears to be absent in Pakistani discourses. The language of ideology is employed through the use of metaphorical expressions, such as "stolen mandate" and "puppet government," providing both moral and nationalist legitimacy to the message. The comparison results show that political ideologies are reproduced in traditional media, whereas in the case of social media, there is more emphasis on political polarization and mobilization. Several limitations can be outlined based on the analysis of this literature.

Keywords

  • Critical Discourse Analysis
  • Power Narratives
  • Pakistani Media
  • Political Communication
  • Ideological Framing
  • Social Media
  • US vs. them
  • Legitimation
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Author Biography

  • Rimsha Malik*, Department of Urdu, Thal University, Bhakkar, Punjab, Pakistan.

    *Corresponding Author

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