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Article In: Journal of Language and Politics: Online-First Articles

Systemic racism and ideology in media representations of #BlackLivesMatter

A corpus-based critical discourse analysis

 | University of Bath
ORCiD logo with link | University of Bath
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
Abstract
Systemic racism experienced by Black Americans operates through institutional and structural mechanisms, producing enduring harms such as disproportionate police violence, economic inequality, and social marginalization. In response, organized resistance has emerged through civil rights advocacy, grassroots organizing, and contemporary anti-racist movements such as Black Lives Matter (BLM). Because news media shape public understanding of these movements, prior research shows that U.S. coverage often portrays Black Americans negatively; however, less attention has been paid to how ideological differences across outlets structure this discourse. This study integrates corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis to examine 482 U.S. news articles referencing “Black Lives Matter.” Using a discourse-historical approach, it analyzes how systemic racism is reinforced, negotiated, or challenged in media narratives. The study addresses a gap in research by demonstrating how ideological orientations of news outlets systematically shape representations of systemic racism and the legitimacy of BLM within the contemporary U.S. media landscape.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Data and methods
    • 2.1Collecting, selecting, and preparing corpus data
    • 2.2Conducting preliminary corpus analysis: Formulating assumptions
      • 2.2.1Keyword analysis of nomination
      • 2.2.2Collocation analysis of predication
      • 2.2.3Concordance analysis of argumentation, perspectivization, and intensification
  • 3.Findings
    • 3.1Keyword analysis of nomination
    • 3.2Collocation analysis of predication
    • 3.3Concordance analysis of argumentation, perspectivization, and intensification
      • 3.3.1Discursive strategies used in the BLM Left Sub-Corpus
      • 3.3.2Discursive strategies used in the BLM center sub-corpus
      • 3.3.3Discursive strategies used in the BLM right sub-corpus
  • 4.Discussion
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Declaration of interest statement
  • Acknowledgments
  • Author queries
  • References
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