Language of Conflict: Discourses of the Ukrainian Crisis

Description

Exploring the ways in which language and conflict are intertwined and interrelated, this volume examines the patterns of public discourse in Ukraine and Russia since the beginning of the Ukrainian Crisis in 2014. It investigates the trends in language aggression, evaluation, persuasion and other elements of conflict communication related to the situation. Through the analysis of the linguistic features of salient discourses and prevalent narratives constructed by different social groups, Language of Conflict reflects competing worldviews of various stakeholders in this conflict and presents multiple, often contradictory, visions of the circumstances. Contributors from Ukraine, Russia and beyond investigate discursive representations of the most important aspects of the crisis: its causes and goals, participants and the values and ideologies of the opposing factions. They focus on categorization, stance, framing, (de)legitimation, manipulation and coping strategies while analysing the ways in which the stress produced by social discord, economic hardship, and violence shapes public discourse. Primarily focusing on informal communication and material gathered from online sources, the collection provides insight into the ways people directly affected by the crisis think about and respond to it. The volume acknowledges the communicators' active role in constructing the (often incompatible) discursive images of the conflict and concentrates on the conscious and strategic use of linguistic resources in negative and aggressive communication.

Natalia Knoblock is Assistant Professor of English at Saginaw Valley State University, USA.

Language of Conflict is an innovative as well as an insightful book. ... It will be of use and value to those who are interested in discourse and communication of the Ukrainian crisis. * Journal of Language and Politics * Linguists, sociologists, psychologists, and political scientists [...] will greatly benefit from reading this volume [...] A precious source of information for anybody wishing to better understand the essence of the current military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. * Language in Society * This book offers a powerful examination of the current state of affairs in Ukraine, helping us to understand the relationship between language and society in a time of crisis. In this in-depth exploration, authors demonstrate modern approaches through focusing on different kinds of manipulations with truth and public opinion. This book reveals the divergent views and different levels of society as a step to better understanding Ukraine. * Olga Brusylovska, Professor of International Relations, Odessa I. I. Mechnikov National University, Ukraine * This is an essential read for those interested in discourse and communication of the Ukrainian crisis. The chapters in Knoblock's collection analyse the various dimensions of verbal aggression in the time of a key conflict in Eastern Europe on the basis of a wide variety of sources and in different languages. As a whole, Language of Conflict: Discourses of the Ukrainian Crisis transcends its specific geographic focus by providing a nuanced, state-of-the-art perspective on the still under-explored field of conflict in discourse, as well as discourse of conflict. * Massimiliano Demata, Associate Professor of English Linguistics, University of Turin, Italy *