Intercultural Communication, Identity, and Social Movements in the Digital Age by Margaret U. D'Silva Ahmet Atay

Author:Margaret U. D'Silva, Ahmet Atay [Margaret U. D'Silva, Ahmet Atay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781138303256
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2019-12-09T00:00:00+00:00

The Discursive Practice of UN Organizations in SNS

Language “as a form of social practice” is a “socially conditioned process, conditioned, that is, by other (non-linguistic) parts of society” (Fairclough, 2014, p. 56). The particular language used by SNS (such as FB) crosses the boundaries of traditional discourses. The innovative nature of SNS requires creative discursive practices which challenge and combine different discourses. Also, SNS texts produce intertextual chains, which incorporate elements from different types of texts (media text, scientific reports, audience’s text and talk). At the same time, the “new ‘interdis-cursive mixes’ are both a sign of, and a driving force in, discursive and thereby socio-cultural change” (Jorgensen & Phillips, 2002, p. 73). Therefore, the posts analyzed included certain intertextual and interdiscursive practices produced by editorial decisions shaped by the type of media and organization, the kind of texts produced, and the context in which they were generated. The research suggests that the use of interdiscursive and intertextual practices is specific to the range of actions and topics of interest of each UN entity.

The UN Women Facebook posts were highly intertextual. First, every post included a link to an enhanced text at UN Women websites (e.g., UN Women Asia and the Pacific, or UN Women Africa), and other UN websites or related human rights’ organizations. Most of them had hashtags (e.g., #Together4Peace, #Planet5050, #WomenForSyria, #FromWhereIStand, #HeForShe, #WhyWeFight, #globalgoals, #WorldEnvironmentalDay, #ParentsDay, #WomenRefugee), which allowed a quick follow-up of the topics. The length of the text was short (approx. 100 characters), concise, and linked to further information. Every post also had audiovisual materials (photos, videos, or infographics), including visual keys such as headings, quotes, or photo captions. One salient characteristic was that some women (professionals, activist, UN representatives, volunteers) were usually represented in an empowered position (crossed arms, facing and looking directly at the camera), and a small text about topics of their concern accompanied each photo inside the image. In other cases, adult women were presented in active roles, sometimes giving testimony about their struggles. This characteristic of the UN Women page ratified three aspects mentioned above: the ontological conception of women as actors and agents of change, the interconnection of women’s rights intertwined with other (human) rights and aspects of life, and the direct engagement with the audience as part of the message (speaker and audience had the same I/We positionality).

The interdiscursive practices in the UN Women page were also related to its goal and philosophy. It incorporated texts by UN representatives (like the Head of Arab States Section of UN Women, or the Executive Director of UN Women), activists and practitioners (like the Vice President of the Executive Council at Kobani Canton), professionals (e.g., a psycho-social therapist, a lawyer, and a journalist). Mainly, the post depicted the voices of experts and authorities, using a more technical language. However, UN Women also incorporated several voices of women, through testimonies and stories, which provided an alternative perspective closer to the common reader of the audience. The post about the story of

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