Politics of Representation: Positive Self-Presentation and Negative Other in Maryam Nawaz’s Speeches

Abstract

The present study employed Van Dijk’s Sociocognitive model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine the discourse of Maryam Nawaz from Muslim League Nawaz, a prominent woman politician of Pakistan. Through Van Dijkian lens, the study focuses on specifically two strategies of positive self-presentation and negative other-representation. The analysis revolves around two events; one is the nuclear tests conducted during the government of Nawaz Sharif on May 28, 1998, and other one is the political unrest that occurred on May 9. We employed qualitative research methodology. The study includes six transcribed political speeches delivered by Nawaz to study the discursive, ideological and cognitive structures grounded in her discourse. The findings of this research highlight that Nawaz uses the techniques of emphasizing good things and de-emphasizing bad things to positively represent herself and her party. Meanwhile, she negatively presents opponents by emphasizing their bad things and de-emphasizing their good things. Nawaz uses language effectively to prove that her party is party is patriotic while the opponent party is subversive in its approach.