Linguistic Resistance: Establishing, Maintaining and Resisting Truths

This paper explores how activists—particularly those focused on human rights, gender, and environmental issues—utilize repetition as a communicative strategy to challenge and transform discourses. It contributes to the broader research on meaning-making by examining the role of repetitive patterns in shaping and resisting political norms. Drawing from linguistic theories, the paper identifies four distinct patterns of repetition that activists can use to establish, maintain, or resist prevailing political "truths." These patterns are applied across various forms of communication, including words, images, and sounds, to negotiate the boundaries and content of contemporary discourses. The study positions repetition as a form of linguistic activism, whereby repeated representations—whether symbolic or material—can transform societal values. By analyzing how repetition functions in conversations and media, the paper argues that this practice is a powerful tool for dissent. The findings respond to the calls of critical sociologists to prioritize the well-being of society in current research, offering new insights into how activists might influence dominant discourses through persistent and strategic communication.