Article Accepted Manuscript

Narrative Expansion and Terrorist Labeling: Discursive Conflict Escalation by State Media

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Montiel, Cristina Jayme
Dela Paz, Erwine S.
Medriano, Jose S.

Abstract / Description

How does state rhetoric change as conflict intensifies against intrastate enemies? We forward the concept of narrative expansion and labeling, to analyze the escalatory transformation of conflict discourse by the Philippine state media. The data set includes 4,098 articles from the state’s official news agency, covering early attempts at reconciliation and the eventual failure of peace negotiations between the Philippine Government and the National Democratic Front (NDF). Analysis involves a mixed methods approach, combining computational network analytics of word networks with a qualitative interpretation of emergent themes. Results reveal a discursive shift emanating from the state’s mouthpiece, alongside the political deterioration of peace talks with the NDF. The state narrative initially expands to include not only conciliatory but also confrontational talk. Eventually combative talks dominate, including a shift in labeling the enemy as terrorist rather than rebel. Narrative expansion likewise refers to state news discursively increasing the number of social actors involved in the conflict as either enemy or ally. Our findings contribute to understanding how discursive shifts may move from conciliatory to hostile discourse in a protracted intrastate conflict.

Keyword(s)

conflict escalation legitimization labeling state media computational network analytics terrorism

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2021-09-15

Journal title

Journal of Social and Political Psychology

Publisher

PsychArchives

Publication status

acceptedVersion

Review status

reviewed

Is version of

Citation

Montiel, C. J., Dela Paz, E. S., & Medriano, J. S. (in press). Narrative expansion and terrorist labeling: Discursive conflict escalation by state media [Accepted manuscript]. Journal of Social and Political Psychology. http://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5102
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Montiel, Cristina Jayme
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Dela Paz, Erwine S.
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Medriano, Jose S.
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2021-09-15T11:17:40Z
  • Made available on
    2021-09-15T11:17:40Z
  • Date of first publication
    2021-09-15
  • Abstract / Description
    How does state rhetoric change as conflict intensifies against intrastate enemies? We forward the concept of narrative expansion and labeling, to analyze the escalatory transformation of conflict discourse by the Philippine state media. The data set includes 4,098 articles from the state’s official news agency, covering early attempts at reconciliation and the eventual failure of peace negotiations between the Philippine Government and the National Democratic Front (NDF). Analysis involves a mixed methods approach, combining computational network analytics of word networks with a qualitative interpretation of emergent themes. Results reveal a discursive shift emanating from the state’s mouthpiece, alongside the political deterioration of peace talks with the NDF. The state narrative initially expands to include not only conciliatory but also confrontational talk. Eventually combative talks dominate, including a shift in labeling the enemy as terrorist rather than rebel. Narrative expansion likewise refers to state news discursively increasing the number of social actors involved in the conflict as either enemy or ally. Our findings contribute to understanding how discursive shifts may move from conciliatory to hostile discourse in a protracted intrastate conflict.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    acceptedVersion
  • Review status
    reviewed
  • Citation
    Montiel, C. J., Dela Paz, E. S., & Medriano, J. S. (in press). Narrative expansion and terrorist labeling: Discursive conflict escalation by state media [Accepted manuscript]. Journal of Social and Political Psychology. http://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5102
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-3325
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/4525
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5102
  • Language of content
    eng
    en_US
  • Publisher
    PsychArchives
    en_US
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.5577
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.8356
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.12426
  • Is related to
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.12426
  • Is related to
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.8356
  • Keyword(s)
    conflict escalation
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    legitimization
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    labeling
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    state media
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    computational network analytics
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    terrorism
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Narrative Expansion and Terrorist Labeling: Discursive Conflict Escalation by State Media
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
    en_US
  • Journal title
    Journal of Social and Political Psychology
  • Visible tag(s)
    PsychOpen GOLD
    en_US
  • Visible tag(s)
    Accepted Manuscript
    en_US