ideological square

This study tries to critically unravel the way Islam is represented in western discourse through establishing the relationship between language and ideology, the forms it takes and its potential effect. To that end, headlines from widely circulated print media of the west including the Independent, the New York Times, the Herald Tribune, and The Times from January 1, 2008 to December 30, 2012 were selected and Islam and Muslim reproductions were studied therein. This study was carried out using a synthesis of Edward Said's notion of "Orientalism" and Van Dijk's notion of "ideological square", characterized by "positive self-presentation" and a simultaneous "negative other presentation". The analysis demonstrated that Islam is repetitively stereotyped and Muslims are negatively represented, both through various types of linguistic choices selected and via special construction of the headlines.  The educational implications of critical discourse analysis in general and the present study in particular are discussed in relation to teaching, learning and translating the English language.

Surah al-Jinn possesses a unique linguistic context, presenting the Jinn's encounters with the Quran, the bringer of the Quran, and the ultimate source of the Quran, namely God, in the form of speech acts. Therefore, in this paper, based on Van Dijk's critical discourse analysis model, this Surah was examined through the formation of an ideological square. Assessing the effectiveness of Van Dijk's ideological square in analyzing the application of discursive strategies in Surah al-Jinn revealed that the polarization of the Surah's discursive system is structured around the belief and disbelief of Jinn and humans in the Quran and the Prophet's mission (PBUH), and the discourse of Surah al-Jinn flows on a foundation of ideological oppositions. A central dichotomy in Surah al-Jinn takes shape between the believing and disbelieving groups of Jinn. In this context, the group of believing Jinn strives to manifest its opposition to the "Other" by utilizing discursive components. What is presented in the discourse of Surah al-Jinn is a current generated by a group of believing Jinn who have heard the Quran. In effect, the "Other" (disbelieving Jinn) is represented by the believers from among the Jinn, and their beliefs are presented. The believing Jinn, with faith in Allah, the Messenger, and the Quran, employ discursive strategies such as "Stating Norms" and "Testifying" to "Highlight the Self," and utilize components like "Actor Description," "Categorization," "Distancing," "Deniers," and "Negative representation of the other and positive representation of the self" to "Marginalize the other." In the second half of Surah al-Jinn, we encounter the introduction of the main actor of the discourse, namely God, who solidifies power relations. The ultimate point in determining power relations is the description of God as the "Knower of the unseen