Resurgence of Taliban in August 2021 and Paradigm Shift in their Representation in Newspaper Editorials: Inter-relationship of Genre Analysis and Discourse Analysis

Abstract

To analyze the representation of Taliban in editorials is important because it reveals the hidden ideological tilt of the editorialists. On conscious level, these ideologies may not be represented in plain language but using discourse analysis and genre analysis, a detailed and perceptive insight is obtained. The editorials have been analyzed which were published in Dawn newspaper in the month of August 2021 dealing with the issue of Afghanistan and Talibanization. Eleven editorials dealt with this theme in August 2021 and all of them are viewed through genre analytical techniques and discourse analysis. It has been found out that the move structure of these editorials comprise five common moves i.e. presenting the case, offering the argument, elucidating the case, reaching the verdict and recommending action. There are no optional moves in the generic move structure of these editorials. Moreover, it has been observed that the representation of Talibans in newspaper editorials after their lightening capture of Kabul in August 2021 has also undergone a paradigm shift. Unlike the negative representation of Talibans in Dawn (Nadeem and Khan, 2017), Talibans are represented in neutral way and the US is chastised. This shows the reciprocal relationship between discourse and society. Unexpected change in the political landscape in Afghanistan brought about this paradigm shift in the representation of Talibans in media discourse.