MEDIA AND HATE SPEECH: A DISCURSIVE STUDY OF HATE SPEECH ON NAIRALAND FORUM
Keywords:
Critical Discourse Analysis, New Media, Ideology, Nairaland, Discursive StrategyAbstract
Digital communication has dominated a major space in our everyday discourses; reflecting how we create, organize, conduct, and express our identities in everyday activities. This study entails the discursive study of hate speech on the Nairaland forum. This study is hinged on Van Dijk's Socio-Cognitive theory (2016) and Ruth Wodak's (2009) Discursive Strategies. The data for this study comprises twenty-eight (28) participants' comments extracted from Nairaland. Findings revealed that commenters of hate discourse on Nairaland used five discursive strategies which include nominalization, predication, argumentation, perspectivization, and intensification to produce their hateful comments on the forum. Strategic devices used include nominals, appositions, relative clauses, pronouns, predicative adjectives, metaphors, giving reasons, questioning, and hyperbole. The study also revealed that ethnic, political party, and religious affinities are the major triggers of hate comments on Nairaland. Thus, the study recommended that technology experts should be engaged to design features, using information derived from language experts to block or filter hate comments on social media platforms. Also, standard laws should be established to curb the menace of hate speech on social media platforms in Nigeria.
Downloads
References
Abdulazeez, I., Nasamu, J., & Asamah, S. (2023) Influence of Hate Speech on the Choice of Candidates Among Edo Electorate During 2023 Nigerian Presidential. In Asameh, S. (Ed.) Mass Media, Politics, & Civic Engagement in Nigeria. Enugu: Franklead Publishing Company.
Abimbola, R. (2022). Media and Hate Speech: Ethical and Legal Consideration. SAU Journal of Management and Social Science, Vol.1(1): 245-254.
Alakali, T., Faga, H. & Mbursa, J. (2017). Audience perception of hate speech and foul language in the social media in Nigeria: Implications for morality and law. Academicus, International Scientific Journal, 1(15), pp. 161-178. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7336/academicus.2017.15.11
Al-utbi, M. (2018). A Critical Discourse Analysis of Hate Speech. Journal of the College of Languages, Vol. 39:19 -40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36586/jcl.2.2019.0.39.0019
Asemah, E., Nwaoboli, E., & Nwoko, Q. (2022). Textual Analysis of Select Social Media Hate Speech in Nigeria. GVU Journal of Management and Social Sciences, vol. 7(2), pp. 1-15.
Ayodele, A. (2018), Groups, Clauses, and Sentences. In Akinpelu, B., Akhimien, P. & Lawal, O. (eds) (2018) Effective Communication. Lagos State University: Center for General Studies.
Auwal, A. (2018). Social Media and Hate Speech: Analysis of Comments on Biafra Agitations, Arewa Youths Ultimatum and their Implication on Peaceful Coexistence in Nigeria. MCC, Vol. 2(1): pp. 54-74.
Ayodele, A. (2020). Beyond Linguistic Injuries: The Logogenesis of Hate Discourse in Nigeria. Lagos: Department of English, Lagos State University.
Chuka, F. & Nkechinyere, J. (2019). Metalinguistic Evaluators and Pragmatic Strategies in Selected Hate Inducing Speeches in Nigeria. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, Vol.9(1), pp.48-57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v9i1.13602
Dijk, T. (2001). Ideology and Discourse: A Multidisciplinary Approach. London: SAGE.
Dijk, T. (2002). Discourse, Ideology, and Context. Journal of Asian Economics. Vol. 3 (1-2), pp. 11-40.
Dijk, T. (2006). Discourse and Manipulation. Discourse & Society, Vol. 17(3), pp.359-383. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0957926506060250
Dijk, T. (2007). Ideology and Discourse Analysis. Journal of Political Ideologies, vol. 11, pp. 115-140. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13569310600687908
Dijk, T. (2008). Discourse Reader. London: SAGE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511481499
Dijk, T. (2011). Discourse Studies. Los Angeles: Sage.
Dijk, T. (2016). ‘Critical Discourse Studies: A Sociocognitive Approach.’ In Ruth Wodak & Michael Meyer (Eds) Methods for Critical Discourse Analysis. London: Sage.
Duan, Y. (2013). Study on The Essence of Metaphor. In Proceedings of the 2013 International Academic Workshop on Social Science (IAW-SC-13). International Academic Workshop on Social Science (IAW-SC-13). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/iaw-sc.2013.124 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2991/iaw-sc.2013.124
Eneh, O. & Nyianshima, T. (2022). Social media Usership in Benue State and the Proliferation of Hate Speech on the Nigerian Social Media Space. Casir International Journal of Social Sciences and Conflict Management. Rivers State University, vol. 7(2), pp. 1-24.
Ezeibe, C. (2005). Hate Speech and Electoral Violence in Nigeria. Conference 10, two-day National Conference on “The 2015 General Elections in Nigeria: The Real Issues at the Electoral Institute Complex, Independent National Electoral Commission Annex, Central Business District, Abuja.
Hangeior, D., Vaungwa, A. & Daniel, B. (2020). Online Readers Comment on Corruption Stories and Hate Speech in Nigeria. Retrieved on 18th July, 2020 from www.researchgate.com
Harring, S. (2004). Computer-Mediated Discourse Analysis: An Approach to Researching Online Behaviors. In Barab, S., Kling, R. & Gray, J. (eds). Designing for Virtual Communication in the Service of Learning. New York: Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511805080.016
Hate Speech Bill (2019). Retrieved on 10th June 2022 from https://media.premiumtimes.ng.com
Johnson, M. N. P., & McLean, E. (2020). Discourse Analysis. In International Encyclopedia of Human Geography (pp. 377–383). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-102295-5.10814-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102295-5.10814-5
Koestler, A. (1978). Janus: A Swimming Up. New York: Random House.
Marlow, M. L. (2017). Public Discourse and Intergroup Communication. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.420 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.420
Nairaland Forum (2002) available at www.nairaland.com DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/504689.504690
Ngoa, S. N. (2022). FAKE NEWS & HATE SPEECH: A Colloquium Report. Sprin Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(04), 192–205. https://doi.org/10.55559/sjahss.v1i04.18 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55559/sjahss.v1i04.18
Nordquist, R. (2018). Apposition in Grammar. Retrieved on 19th October 2022 from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-apposition-169127
Onuh, F. (2009). A Critical Discourse Analysis of Hate Comments on Nigerian News Website. Clarep Journal of English and Linguistics Academic Writing for Africa. Vol. 1, pp. 137-169. DOI: https://doi.org/10.56907/gvtgfav2
Pritha, B. (2020). What is Qualitative Research? Methods and Examples. Retrieved on 17th October, 2022 from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative research/
Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (2014). Retrieved on 10th June 2022 from https://laws.lawnigeria.com/2020/01/10/same-sex-marriage-prohibition-act-2014/
Scheffler, A. (2015). The Inherent Danger of Hate Speech Legislation: A Case Study from Rwanda and Kenya on the Failure of a Preventive Measure. Namibia: Fesmedia Africa, Friedrick-Ebert-Stiftung.
Simpson, R. (2013). Dignity, Harm, and Hate Speech. Journal of Law and Philosophy, 32 (6) p.701. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10982-012-9164-z
Soporuchi, A. & Bestman, O. (2021). Discourse Structures of Hate Discourses in Nigeria. Ghana Journal of Language, Vol. 1o (1), pp. 276-304
Trindade, L. (2018). Contemporary Forms of Racism and Bigotry on Social Media Platforms. https://www.academia.edu/364519/Contemporary_Forms_of_Racism_and_Bigotry_on_Social_Media_Platforms. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
Wodak, R. 2009). The Discourse Historical Approach. Discourse, of Course: An overview of research in discourse studies. London: J.B. Publishing Company.
Wodak, R. & Reisigl, M. (2009). The Semiotics of Racism: A Critical Discourse-Historical Analysis. In Wodak, R. & Meyer, M. (Eds), Methods of Critical Discourse Analysis. London: UK Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/z.148.29wod
Published on: 18-04-2024
Also Available On
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Taibat Akinsanya
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors contributing to this journal retain the copyright of their articles but agree to publish their articles under the terms of the Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, for any purpose, even commercially, under the condition that appropriate credit is given, that a link to the license is provided, and that they indicate if changes were made. They may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses them or their use.