Representation of ‘Europe’ in the Mediatized Discourse of Ukrainian Political Elites: thesis
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Date
2013-05-31T10:10:34Z
Authors
Orlova, Dariya
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Abstract
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This thesis attempts to explore discursive construction of ‘Europe’ in the mediatized
discourse of Ukrainian political elites. The study rests on the assumption that Europe has long
been a significant geographical, socio-political and cultural reference point for Ukrainian
society. As such, it has turned into a crucial signifier in Ukrainian public discourse.
Accordingly, the study aims at analyzing representation of ‘Europe’ as a signifier in the
discourse of Ukrainian political elites. In particular, the study analyzes what identities of
Europe, perceptions of Europe and relations to Europe are being constructed by Ukrainian
politicians in their mediatized discourse. The thesis examines one particular instance of mediatized discourse, that is, the case of a
popular political television talk show, hosted by Savik Shuster, which has been broadcasted
on four Ukrainian TV channels under different titles since September 2005. The study covers
a post-Orange period in Ukraine, as the Orange Revolution brought reinvigoration of
‘European choice’ notion into Ukrainian public discourse. The time frame of analysis, 2005-
2010, embraces the four years of the ‘Orange’ leadership in power and the first year of the
presidency of Viktor Yanukovych. Thus, the study aims at exploring key patterns of
discursive construction of ‘Europe’, as well as possible discursive shifts with regard to
‘Europe’ in the post-Orange Ukraine.
The research is largely guided by a theoretical and methodological framework of the critical
discourse analysis (CDA) approach. By employing the CDA framework, the study
investigates both, the content of the analyzed discourse, and conventions shaping discourse
within a broader socio-political context.
Analysis of the mediatized discourse of Ukrainian political elites has established that Europe
is a much-contested signifier in the Ukrainian political discourse, which is evidenced by
abundant references to ‘Europe’ within multiple contexts, on the one hand, and competitive
representations of ‘Europe’, on the other. The study has identified a broad range of references
to ‘Europe’ entailing different modes and dimensions of discursive representations. In
particular, ‘Europe’ is most commonly referred to within such frames: ‘Europe as a model
and a source of norm(s), ‘Europe as an advanced civilization’ and ‘Europe as a geopolitical
pole’. The geopolitical framework of references to ‘Europe’ particularly suggests competing
representations of ‘Europe’, ranging from a ‘destination point’ to a ‘rejector of Ukraine’.
Apart from competitive representations of Europe, the analyzed discourse with regard to
‘Europe’ is characterized by a great degree of ambiguity, which illustrates ambivalent
attitudes and foreign policy orientations of Ukrainian public undergoing complex process of
national identity construction. At the same time, analysis suggests that Ukrainian political
elites utilize the discussed ambiguity to convey their representations of Europe as
commonsensical. The study has demonstrated that the analyzed discursive setting of the talk
show has also contributed to the ambiguity of representations of ‘Europe’ constructed by
Ukrainian political elites as the latter are largely unconstrained in their interaction in the talk
show and widely resort to strategic formulations and rhetorical references to ‘Europe’, which
largely entail ambiguous connotations.