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Constructing Controversy: The Case of the Danish Agricultural Industry

Scharling Lauridsen, Josefine LU (2021) SKOM12 20211
Department of Strategic Communication
Abstract
Due to a rising concern for the climate, more industries are becoming controversial due to their greenhouse gas intensive production. This study has looked into one of these industries, the agricultural industry in Denmark, and the controversy surrounding this industry. By adopting a critical discourse analysis (CDA) perspective, this study investigates the discursive construction of (de)legitimation of the agricultural industry employed by interest organisations. The empirical material consists of opinion editorials authored by interest organisations published in Danish national media. Findings show that the controversy is based on a discursive struggle between the environmentalist discourse and the green capitalist discourse. These... (More)
Due to a rising concern for the climate, more industries are becoming controversial due to their greenhouse gas intensive production. This study has looked into one of these industries, the agricultural industry in Denmark, and the controversy surrounding this industry. By adopting a critical discourse analysis (CDA) perspective, this study investigates the discursive construction of (de)legitimation of the agricultural industry employed by interest organisations. The empirical material consists of opinion editorials authored by interest organisations published in Danish national media. Findings show that the controversy is based on a discursive struggle between the environmentalist discourse and the green capitalist discourse. These discourses form the basis for different strategies of discursive (de)legitimation, in which proponents of the industry focus on legitimating current practices whereas opponents of the industry focus on legitimating future practices by delegitimating current. Additionally, the actors’ discursive stance on the environment-economy axis also showed that actors near the middle employ mostly rationalisation whereas actors nearer the poles employed moralisation. Furthermore, the analysis showed that the controversy form two discourse coalitions, one consisting of those situated left from the middle and the other consisting of those right from the middle. However, contrary to previous studies, the analysis indicate that the discourse coalitions are not placed in a deadlock but in fact form actual alliances across which seem to instigate change. Thus, this study enhances the understanding of the discursive dynamics underpinning the (de)legitimation of these newer controversial industries. (Less)
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author
Scharling Lauridsen, Josefine LU
supervisor
organization
course
SKOM12 20211
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
critical discourse analysis, legitimacy, legitimation, strategic communication, new controversial industry, agriculture.
language
English
id
9059346
date added to LUP
2021-07-01 10:17:53
date last changed
2021-07-01 10:17:53
@misc{9059346,
  abstract     = {{Due to a rising concern for the climate, more industries are becoming controversial due to their greenhouse gas intensive production. This study has looked into one of these industries, the agricultural industry in Denmark, and the controversy surrounding this industry. By adopting a critical discourse analysis (CDA) perspective, this study investigates the discursive construction of (de)legitimation of the agricultural industry employed by interest organisations. The empirical material consists of opinion editorials authored by interest organisations published in Danish national media. Findings show that the controversy is based on a discursive struggle between the environmentalist discourse and the green capitalist discourse. These discourses form the basis for different strategies of discursive (de)legitimation, in which proponents of the industry focus on legitimating current practices whereas opponents of the industry focus on legitimating future practices by delegitimating current. Additionally, the actors’ discursive stance on the environment-economy axis also showed that actors near the middle employ mostly rationalisation whereas actors nearer the poles employed moralisation. Furthermore, the analysis showed that the controversy form two discourse coalitions, one consisting of those situated left from the middle and the other consisting of those right from the middle. However, contrary to previous studies, the analysis indicate that the discourse coalitions are not placed in a deadlock but in fact form actual alliances across which seem to instigate change. Thus, this study enhances the understanding of the discursive dynamics underpinning the (de)legitimation of these newer controversial industries.}},
  author       = {{Scharling Lauridsen, Josefine}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Constructing Controversy: The Case of the Danish Agricultural Industry}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}