Critical Discourse Analysis of America’s Former president Barack Obama’s Speech on the Death of Osama Bin Laden

Authors

  • Dr. Samia Tahir Assistant Professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS), NUST, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Dr. Neelma Riaz Assistant Professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (SEECS), NUST, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Dr. Faisal Arif Sukhera Associate Professor, Islamabad Model College for Boys, F/10/4, Islamabad, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47205/plhr.2025(9-III)23

Keywords:

Critical Discourse Analysis, Political Rhetoric, Language and Power, Language and Society, Media Ideology, Obama’s Speech

Abstract

This paper aims to make the speech more relevant to current global realities, considering how political rhetoric has evolved in a more digitally connected and critical world. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), applicable to both spoken and written texts, enables scholars to delve into the deeper meanings of social roles and the embedded power structures within a discourse. The current study revisits the speech of former U.S. President Barack Obama announcing the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, using Fairclough’s (1995) framework. While the speech was originally delivered in 2011, its rhetorical significance and underlying ideological assumptions continue to resonate in the post-pandemic geopolitical context. Newer studies on political discourse (Van Dijk, 2022; Hart, 2023) emphasize the long-lasting effects of such speeches on public memory, global power dynamics, and media representations. Findings endorse the role of discourse in reaffirming America’s hegemonic status through language strategies that reflect dominance and authority.

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Published

2025-08-03

Details

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    PDF Downloads: 4

How to Cite

Tahir, S., Riaz, N., & Sukhera, F. A. (2025). Critical Discourse Analysis of America’s Former president Barack Obama’s Speech on the Death of Osama Bin Laden. Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review, 9(3), 258–270. https://doi.org/10.47205/plhr.2025(9-III)23