Media Discourses of Moderation: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Global Coverage of Ahmed Al-Sharaa’s Presidency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1703.14Keywords:
global media, public perceptions, linguistic techniques, political transformationAbstract
This article examines how global media portrayed the Syrian President Al-Sharaa before and after he assumed the presidency. It employs critical discourse analysis to investigate how media coverage influences the public perceptions of him and the nature of political transition during these two periods. The study uses Fairclough's model; the Van Leeuwen framework; and evaluative theory to analyze the linguistic techniques used in the global media. Through analysis of fifty English-language articles published in leading international newspapers between 2020 and 2025, this study identifies four key conclusions: First, the news media portrays a significant shift of Al-Sharaa’s intellectual and political trajectory. Second, it employs laudatory language that presents him as ‘open’, ‘pragmatic’, and ‘prone to change’, which fosters a more appealing image for the audience. Third, it depicts Al-Sharaa’s language as actively shaping events rather than passively responding to events. Finally, it links Al-Sharaa’s discourse to concepts of national cohesion and community service embodying a political transformation with collective implications, even though this transcendence is influenced more by personal factors. The results reveal that the media not only serves as a reporting entity but actively participates in reshaping the political landscape by the manner in which it portrays and reproduces leaders' images. The study analyzes only English-language content. Future investigations should include multiple languages, examine public reactions, and compare Al-Sharaa's image with other leaders undergoing similar shifts. In conclusion, the research verifies that media discourse acts as a symbolic force shaping leader portrayals and public opinion.
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