Social deconstruction and power negotiation

Abstract This study investigates how language functions as a vehicle for framing Africa in global discourse, arguing that social deconstruction begins with linguistic practices that either reinforce or challenge entrenched hierarchies. It examines strategies that depict Africa as politically unstable, socially disordered, and economically fragile, while also identifying counter-discourses that foreground African agency. Using Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the research explores textual, interdiscursive, and socio-historical dimensions. Data are triangulated from print texts and credible online sources to ensure validity and reliability. Findings reveal that Western discourse often portrays Africa through partial and stereotypical frames of deficiency and dependency. Yet, resistance discourses, both subtle and overt, show African voices actively negotiating identity and reclaiming agency. The study contributes to discourse scholarship by demonstrating how linguistic choices shape global perceptions of Africa and by advancing dialogic frameworks grounded in mutual respect, fairness, and equity in sociopolitical contexts.