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Article published In:
Political discourse analysis of female political leaders in the Global South
Edited by Mark Nartey
[Journal of Language and Politics 23:1] 2024
► pp. 91–112

The discursive construction of solidarity by Ghanaian female parliamentarians

ORCID logo | University of Cape Coast
ORCID logo | University of Botswana
ORCID logo | University of the West of England
Research on issues of women has largely focused attention on, among others, power asymmetries and gender stereotypes, with less emphasis on positive linguistic mechanisms of women. Drawing on a critical discourse analytical approach and using Ghanaian parliamentary debates as data, this paper examines how female members of parliament (MPs) construct solidarity. The paper finds that, first, Ghanaian female MPs construct solidarity by positioning themselves as agents and the voice of (Ghanaian) women by using the inclusive-we and our/us. Second, the MPs engage in solidarity formation for (Ghanaian) women empowerment by championing the cause of women and calling for female empowerment. Third, the MPs demonstrate solidarity through congratulatory messages that highlight the achievements of (Ghanaian) women. Finally, the MPs resist discourses that discriminate against (Ghanaian) women. This paper highlights the need for marginalized voices to be centred in CDA research and contributes to the burgeoning scholarship on reparative critical practices.
Keywords: gender, solidarity, female members of parliament, parliamentary debates, feminist critical discourse analysis
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Research on solidarity
  • 3.Framework
  • 4.Data and method of analysis
  • 5.Analysis and discussion
    • 5.1The “we” in us: Agency and voice as solidarity
    • 5.2Solidarity formation for (Ghanaian) women empowerment
    • 5.3Expressing solidarity through felicitations
    • 5.4Resisting discriminatory discourse against women
  • 6.Discussion: Contradictory voices in the construction of feminist solidarity: Seeking equality or reversal?
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 9 November 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.22146.sar
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