Analyzing Power Dynamics in Pakistani Political Discourse: A CDA-Based Study

Power exists in various modalities and political discourses are one of the important sites for negotiating and exercising power. The data for the present study was collected from the speeches of the Nawaz Sharif (PMLN) leader. The study at hand employs Fairclough’s (1995) CDA and Dijk’s (2006) Ideological square models to analyze political discourses. The prominent analytical categories used in the study include othering, number games, lexicalization, and positive self-representation. In this sense, the analysis of the speeches based on the socio-political context of Pakistan has been done. The analysis of the data reveals that no use of language is ideology-free and different ideological moves have been used by the mentioned politician of Pakistan to propagate the desired ideology to the masses. Historical references serve to assert political legacy, while economic narratives provide a platform for critique and political messaging. It has been observed that political narratives are coined with the view of the target audience to win their consent and to make them behave in a desired manner. This study provides a systematic analysis of language, power, and politics in the context of the contemporary Pakistani political scenario. It, maintains that political rhetoric is one of the important sites for ideological investment.