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Article published In:
Chinese Language and Discourse
Vol. 11:2 (2020) ► pp.198–225

Televised confessions in the People’s Republic of China

A multimodal analysis of lexical grammar, gaze, and identity

| University of California

This study examines the use of lexical grammar and gaze in three televised confession news segments discussing national identity shown on PRC state-backed media in 2016. It aims to apply discourse analysis methodologies previously used to study PRC mass media (Fang 1994, Fang 2001, Feng 2013, Feng 2016, Renwick and Cao 1999) to subject matter previously researched mainly in other disciplines (Leung 2017, Fiskesjö 2017, Sorace 2019, Dahlin 2018). Following multimodal analysis of lexical grammar and gaze patterns, social identity theory is applied to understand narrative messaging similarities across the three segments. By applying the methodologies of discourse analysis, multimodal analysis, and social identity theory to a heretofore neglected topic, the study aims to better understand this phenomenon and to determine what methodological adjustments might be necessary in its investigation.

Keywords: discourse analysis, mass media, lexical grammar, gaze, social identity theory, multimodality
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
  • 3.Data and methods
  • 4.Analysis
    • 4.1Lexical grammar
    • 4.2Gaze
    • 4.3Social identity analysis
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 24 November 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/cld.20006.car
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