A systematic review of the cognitive linguistics approach to critical discourse studies

This systematic review synthesizes the literature on the combination of Cognitive Linguistics (CL) and Critical Discourse Studies (CDS), also referred to as Cognitive Linguistic Critical Discourse Studies (CL-CDS). This review aims to map the theoretical rationales for this coupling, identify the general analytical frameworks used to combine CL and CDS, explore the main applications of CL-CDS, and trace its methodological history. Following the PRMA guidelines, we systematically searched Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for publications specifying a date range of January 2005 to June 2024. The included studies were analyzed using a narrative synthesis approach to identify, analyze, and synthesize overarching themes. The synthesis reveals that the fusion of CL and CDS offers an expansive and effective means of accounting for relations between language, cognition, and society. In this regard, CL presents a systematic, psychologically plausible toolbox for CDS researchers to analyze how ideologies are constructed, legitimized, and naturalized in discourse. Important CL concepts, including conceptual metaphor, framing, construal, and force dynamics, are applied consistently within a diverse range of socio-political topics, such as immigration, political protests, and national identity. The review also identifies important methodological advancements, such as the addition of multimodal analysis and the use of experimental research designs.