The Dragon In Western Mirror: Critical Discourse Analysis Of Articles In The China Column Of The Economist In2012

Western media direct a growing share of spotlight onto China as its risingeconomic power wins higher international standing. Reports and comments releasedon Western media and publications permeate into many facets of Chinese society,mirroring an image of China for their audience. The rest of the world also read Chinawidely from these publications. Therefore, media discourses play an important role informing, or at least influencing people’s outlook on China.Unfortunately, due to many differences in social systems and values, Westernmedia’s reports on China, more often than not, are heavily loaded with ideologicalprejudice. A twisted image of China is the last thing we want to read about and theproblem concerning our national publicity workers most. As investigation goes deeper,we would find that the image-making process is largely realized through linguisticforms, discourse practices, as well as the manipulative hand of power relations.This thesis chooses The Economist, a renowned mainstream English magazine,to study China’s image reflected in Western media. In2012, an exclusive column forChina was set up in The Economist, marking the first time that this magazine devotesa certain block to a country ever since1942when the US column was established. Inthe present study,143articles in the new column are collected from48issues of themagazine in2012, in hopes that discourse analysis would help to expose theideological forces controlling China’s image overseas.Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) will be used as the major research tool in thisstudy. Especially, Norman Fairclough’s three-dimensional CDA framework will betaken as a cornerstone for setting up a four-step working theoretical framework. Thisstudy will offer references for fighting back the “demonization” of China and helpjustify China’s real image.