Applying “Discourse Analysis” to Examine the “War of Narratives” Between NATO and Eastern Nations (Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS)

By Dr Seyed Salman Safavi
International Peace Studies Centre – IPSC

Introduction

The geopolitical landscape is increasingly characterised by a “war of narratives,” where NATO systematically distorts facts to undermine the Eastern world. This strategy is evident in content produced by academic institutions and media aligned with Western interests, which generate seemingly “pseudo-real” and “pseudo-scientific” information aimed at psychologically weakening Eastern nations. However, independent Eastern media outlets such as Al Jazeera, Al Mayadeen, Al-Akhbar, and SCO-affiliated media like Sputnik and CGTN, along with writers from countries represented by alliances like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS, have actively resisted Western discursive dominance. They assert their agency in the face of American hegemony, despite a minority of demoralised or weak-willed individuals falling under the influence of the “neo-colonial Western narrative.”

Discourse Analysis: A Methodological Overview

Discourse Analysis (DA) is a qualitative research method focused on examining language within its social and cultural contexts. It seeks to uncover implicit meanings, ideologies, and embedded power structures in texts, speech, and communicative behaviours. DA explores how language reflects and shapes social realities, power dynamics, and political and cultural norms.

Key Methods of Discourse Analysis

DA encompasses various methodological approaches, each emphasising different aspects of language and context:

1. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA): Focuses on the interplay between language, power, and ideology. CDA specifically aims to reveal how social inequalities, dominance, and power abuses are challenged through discourse.
2. Structuralist Discourse Analysis: Examines underlying linguistic structures and organisational patterns within discourse. It seeks to identify implicit rules and frameworks governing language that shape meaning.
3. Anthropological Discourse Analysis: Investigates discourse within specific cultural and social environments. It aims to understand how meanings are constructed, negotiated, and interpreted in distinct communities and contexts.
4. Interactional Discourse Analysis: Analyses linguistic exchanges between individuals or groups. It explores how meaning is dynamically formed, managed, and transformed through conversation and interaction.
5. Post-Structuralist Discourse Analysis: Challenges notions of fixed meaning. It emphasises the instability, fluidity, and contested nature of meaning in discourse, critiquing essentialist and universalist claims.

Steps in Conducting Discourse Analysis

The DA process typically involves the following steps:

1. Topic and Text Selection: Defining the research focus and identifying relevant texts, speeches, or other discursive materials for analysis.
2. Theoretical Framework Selection: Choosing an appropriate theoretical lens (e.g., CDA, post-structuralism) based on research questions and objectives.
3. Data Collection: Gathering discursive data, which may include written documents, transcripts, audio/video recordings, and related textual information.
4. Data Analysis: Applying selected DA methods to scrutinise data, identifying patterns, themes, ideologies, and power relations.
5. Presentation of Findings: Communicating analysis results through reports, academic papers, or other suitable formats, supported by evidence from the data.

Discourse Analysis in Practice: Examining Western Narratives About the East

As discussed here, a primary application of critical discourse analysis is the critical examination of Western representations of the Eastern world. For example, CDA can be used to analyse how facts about Eastern nations are distorted by Western academic publications, research institutions, and media. Specific instances often cited include portrayals of Iran in Western discourse, which frequently rely on selective framing, contextual omissions, and the political agenda of Western power structures projects that marginalise or delegitimise the perspectives and goals of Eastern nations advocating for “just peace.”

Despite the Islamic Republic of Iran being a victim of joint American-Israeli terrorist actions ⁱⁱ, and a 12 day war that was a violation of the UN Charter and the NPT, the U.S. government and media tied to imperialist currents consistently accuse Iran of supporting terrorism ⁱⁱⁱ. Although Iran’s nuclear program, as confirmed by numerous IAEA reports, is peaceful, Iran is persistently portrayed as a nuclear threat on the international stage ^iv. Moreover, two nuclear powers have launched military attacks on Iranian soil, and NATO has labelled this aggression as “self-defence,” with the organisation’s Secretary-General formally praising the U.S. President Donald Trump for this military action ^v.

The Importance of Discourse Analysis

DA is a valuable methodological tool across disciplines such as political science, social sciences, communication studies, and cultural studies. For freedom-loving writers worldwide, its significance lies in its capacity to:

1. Uncover Hidden Meanings: Reveal ideologies, assumptions, and implicit power relations layered in language, going beyond superficial interpretations.
2. Examine Power and Ideology: Demonstrate how discourse functions as a mechanism for exercising power, disseminating ideologies, and maintaining or contesting social hierarchies.
3. Enable Discourse Critique: Provide a systematic framework for critically evaluating dominant discourses, identifying biases, limitations, and their potential hegemonic functions.
4. Contribute to Social Change: By exposing how inequalities and injustices are discursively created and perpetuated, DA can inform strategies aimed at fostering dialogue and more equitable social and political transformations.
5. Advocate for Global Security and Just Peace: By exposing the war-mongering discourse of Western power blocs forces under the guise of global security, the voices of the anti-war front and advocates for just peace can reach global audiences through digital media.

Keywords: Discourse Analysis, War of Narratives, NATO, Iran, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BRICS.

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