Discourse of resistance: Articulations of national cultural identity in media discourse on the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China

Abstract

This study examines the discourse of resistance constructed in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake coverage by Chinese state media. It tries to explore how media discourse can be constructed to facilitate crisis control in natural disaster situations. Set in a context of nationalistic culture in contemporary China, this paper dissects how state media in China frame narratives and represent meanings to construct national cultural identity in earthquake coverage. In analysing this discursive process, this research adopts the methodology of critical discourse analysis and cluster criticism; the findings indicate that the discourse of resistance deals with the disorderly information flow in a crisis by differentiating the messages, framing media stories and engaging with the broad nationalistic culture, to construct positive representations of disaster relief. Specifically, a strong sense of belonging to a national community is constructed for people trapped in uncertainty, anxiety and trauma. This study concludes that, in doing so, discourse of resistance enhances disaster relief by controlling the meaning of the crisis.