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Article published In:
Journal of Language Aggression and Conflict
Vol. 11:1 (2023) ► pp.25–47

Verbal horror and slaughterhouse imagery in media representation of herdsmen violence

ORCID logo | Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel , Germany | Alex Ekwueme Federal University , Nigeria

Nigerian media reports on herdsmen’s violence present dehumanised images of a slaughterhouse in which farmers are represented as animals being slaughtered by herders. Using a critical discourse analysis and appraisal framework, with a focus on the systems of attitude and graduation, this paper critically examines media representation of herdsmen’s violence as “butchering” in the form of carnism. Analysis reveals that carnist representation is reinforced through death-dealing socio-cognitive labelling, attitudinal lexicalisation and strands of carnism. Also, using attitude and graduation resources, a one-directional and horrific image is painted. The study concludes that the creation as well as consumption of such scary news cultivates cognitive prejudices and stereotypes.

Keywords: critical discourse analysis, appraisal framework, herdsmen violence socio-cognitive labelling, media reports
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Representation of violence and ideology in the media
  • 3.Herdsmen violence and the media representation
  • 4.The corpus and methodology
  • 5.Theoretical background: Critical discourse analysis and appraisal framework
  • 6.Analysis and discussion
    • 6.1Death-dealing socio-cognitive labelling
    • 6.2Attitudinal lexicalisation
    • 6.3Strands of carnism
  • 7.Concluding remarks
  • References
Published online: 26 October 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jlac.00070.igw
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