Critical Discourse Analysis of Social Justice Campaign “Cancel Culture” in the Arab Social Media

Cancel culture refers to public backlash through social media in response to actions or statements made by individuals, groups, or organizations, which are considered offensive, harmful, or contrary to social norms or public sentiments. This study examines whether Arab cancel culture has aligned with global cancel culture language trends or has developed a distinct linguistic style. It focuses on two cases, Balqees Fathi in 2019 and Fatima Jaafer in 2023, to explore the linguistic evolution of Arabic linguistic usage and ideological shifts related to social justice in Arab social media. Fairclough’s (2015) 3D model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) has been used for studying X posts. The study has found a shift from traditional Arabic with its poetic and patriarchal undertones, as seen in Balqees’s case, to a more globalized style, as seen in Fatima’s case. By 2023, there was an increased use of global cancel culture practices such as code-switching and transliteration, reflecting a blend of modern influences and national identity. The findings show that a linguistic transition emerged among Arabic social media users from traditional, monolingual expressions to modern, bilingual usage, which highlights the impact of global discourse or linguistic trends on Arab cancel culture.