Exploring Theoris in social media in Critical Discourse Analysis Study

SYAHFITRI

Department of English.Faculty Education and Teachers Training

University Lancang Kuning,Pekannbaru,Riau,Indonesia

Syah418345@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Social media is one of the technological developments that have a big hand in providing
convenience for humans to communicate and socialize.Social media can be a barrie r where
new forms of social relationships cause differences and create new social practices that some
people can not accept and develop. This aspect is a consideration to investigate the
phenomenon in social media. In this study, we present Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as
an approach to the development of theory in social media. Discussions around CDA sites in
important information systems research (IS). This research is aimed at developing theory in
social media

KEYWORDS
Critical discourse analysis, theoris of social media study, theory building, , critical
information system(IS)

INTRODUCTION

In this research, we presented the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as a reference

for the development of theory in social media, which examines "[a] growing concerns, among
social media IS scholars that the IS community is not fully involved in reflecting the
methodological aspects of research social media, and subsequent implications for
constructing the theory "(Urquhart and Vaast, 2012, p. 2). In this research, we ask the
question, how does the Critical Discourse Analysis approach contribute to building social
media theory and We answer this research question through the CDA approach as a
framework for research and discussion on social media as a discursive system that refers to
social practices such as online sexual prediction, cyber bullying and social movements. Each
of these examples is an example of power differences among social actors as they are carried
out in communication and language. In the online sexual predation of children and cyber
bullying this imbalance leads to coercion and sacrifice. For social movements, power
imbalances can have political risks. In all three cases, there was a shift in control and
potentially in individual safety.

the advantages and usefulness of this research lies in the context of the study of
social problems that are related or influenced by IS (Myers and Klein, 2011; Stahl and
Brooke, 2008) and especially in the case of CDA where power imbalances exist in social and
language actors and communications are used for coercion, control, discrimination and
sacrifice. Social media can serve as an emerging border where new social relationships
evolve as well as collective communicative actions of humans and information technology.
This embodies the need to consider new approaches to research in social media. It is our
contention that CDA provides such an approach. we also discussed a free mechanism for
evaluation of social media phenomena associated with "individual, organizational, and social
issues" (Stahl and Brooke, p.53). However, the challenge for IS researchers is to develop
social media theory (Urquhart and Vaast, 2012). "Many IS researchers have shaped the
[social media] environment as a concept for their research and have a lot of attention to do it"
(Urquhart and Vaast, 2012 p.2) thus increasing the desire for relevant and strict social media
theory. Second, critical research embodies the means to examine deeply the phenomenon of
socialmedia

The Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) approach has been devised to discuss social
phenomena in areas such as education (Rogers and Elias, 2012; Rogers, 2004), gender
(Aguinaldo, 2012; Turner, 2008), and organizational studies (Chiapello and Fairclough ,
2002; Chouliaraki and Fairclough, 2010). In relation to the same theory, CDA is a method for
the development of theory and extension of theory.
Moving past identification Albert, et al. Critical Discourse Analysis: Toward
Theory in Social Media Proceedings of the 19th American Conference on Information
Systems, Chicago, Illinois, 15-17 August 2013. 2Phenomena, including discourse evaluation,
the relationship between discourse communicators, institutional attributes affecting discourse,
and hegemonic shifts resulting from discourse (Chouliaraki and Fairclough, 1999). The main
concern of the CDA is "to improve the lives of ordinary people by creating an oppressive and
diminishing power relationship" (McKenna, 2004 p.21). Through this mediated computer
discourse in social media, ordinary people have the potential to become victims of power
imbalances through phenomena such as social movements, cyber bullying or children's
sexual predation. In the field of the CDA, it is not enough to lay the power of using helpless
people, to vote on the unhealthy abuse of power and to expose and mobilize people to correct
social mistakes (Blommaert and Bulcaen 2000). Thus, following the fundamental aspect of
CDA in this study is finding a weak empowerment tool (Wodak, 1995). Understand the
phenomenon, and change the main concern of CDA with the results that people dream about,
and possibly society as a whole. Examples of principles for conducting critical research
(Myers and Klein, 2011) applied to the CDA study are provided.

BACKGROUND: STRANDS OF CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

 basically, the CDA approach is symbolic to analyze "structural relationships of
domination, discrimination, transparent and transparent power and control as manifested in
language" (Wodak and Meyer, 2008 p. 10). Researchers apply interdisciplinary work when
using the CDA approach (Chouliaraki and Fairclough, 1999; Wodak and Meyer, 2008). This
makes the IS researchers choose to be theoretical considerations of the disciplines of sisters
such as sociology, psychology, management, economics, anthropology, etc., to broaden the
understanding of this complex social practice in which social media has an increasingly
important role.

although not related to a single methodology or theory, CDAs under the umbrella of
CDA. Synopsis of the theoretical positions, methodological objectives, and data types of
these six approaches are presented in Table 1 as summarized from Wodak and Meyer (2008).
This summary reveals the flexibility of CDA. The focus of the approach ranges from social
actors to discourse structures. The sociocognitive approach and social actors focus on the idea
of someone who has a stake in social situations. Individual actions affect the social structure
and interaction embodies the perceptions of social groups. On the other hand, the dialectical-
relational and historical-discourse approach focuses on the structure of social and language
situations that shape it. Among these approaches, disposition and corpus-linguistic
approaches. The dispositive approach to acknowledging the reality of society only when
specified in the discourse, does not include elements of non-linguistic social action. Focus on
linguistic tools, Wodak and Meyer, 2008). Understanding the focus of different approaches is
needed to determine which is appropriate to study the phenomenon. For example, if one
learns how to build a dialogue, it is possible to have a dialectical-dialectical approach. This
will allow researchers to examine the reciprocal effects of adolescent socialization and the
language built around the socialization.
Similar to theoretical positions and methodological objectives are different in the
CDA approach, so are the techniques of operationalization. Techniques range from broad
macro engineering / macro to detailed / micro. Because of its operations through software, the
linguistic approach of the corpus is shown in the only approach recommended for large data
sets. Dispositional analysis, sociocognitive approach, social actors approach and dialectical
relational approach are all done on the existing text. It is suggested that fieldwork and / or
ethnography be included as additional data for historical discourse approaches (Wodak and
Meyer, 2008). The idea of using existing data, whether large or small, corresponds to social
media research, as there is a lot of data in social media. In fact, Mautner (2005), to whom
Wodak and Meyer (2008) appreciate the linguistic approach of the corpus, challenges critical
discourse analysts to utilize the web for further study. He states that, "[b] because the medium
is so dynamic and flexible, it reacts with unprecedented speed and accuracy to social change,
because it is more accessible than the print media, it is inherently more democratic" (Mautner
2005, p. 821). Understanding the operational methods and data types of each approach is
important when choosing the appropriate one for the study phenomenon. For example, if one
studies how a text message affects teen behavior, the choice from Table 1 may be a
dialectical-relational approach. This will allow researchers to examine the language of a large
number of text messages to reveal the effect between adolescent socialization and the
language built around the socialization.

Dispositive Analysis (Siegfried Jäger & Florentine Maier)

Theoretical position: the link between discourse and reality is the social acting subject
Methodological objectives: discourse and dispositive analysis Data: Existing text
 Sociocognitive Approach (Teun van Dijk)
Theoretical position: the link between social systems and individual cognitive systems are
socially shared perceptions Methodological objectives: development of context
models/social representations of the communicative situation Data: Existing text
Discourse-Historical Approach (Ruth Wodak and Martin Reisigl) Theoretical position:
connections between fields of action, genres, discourses and texts Methodological objectives:
development of “conceptual tools relevant for specific social problems” (p. 26) Data:
Existing text, fieldwork, ethnography
Social Actors Approach (Theo van Leuuwen) Theoretical position: individual actors
constitute and reproduce social structure Methodological objectives: detailed linguistic
operationalization at the actor level Data: Existing Text

Dialectical-Relational Approach (Norman Fairclough) Theoretical position: language is

“shaped by the social functions it has come to serve” (p. 27) Methodological objectives:
analyze dialectical relationships between functions of signs and other elements of social
practices Data: Existing text
Table 1. Approaches of Critical Discourse Analysis (Wodak & Meyer, 2008)

The steps taken in the six CDA approaches relate to aspects of social media. The
simple idea of discourse provides a link between the approach and the communication
medium. Social media consists of actors, language structures, and meanings at the local and
global level - all of which are handled in at least one CDA approach. To better understand the
relationship between CDA and social media, we will discuss the role of social media as a
discursive system.

CDA AND SOCIAL MEDIA AS A DISCURSIVE SYSTEM

By definition, the discursive system consists of several angles of words, also known
as universal discourse (Strauss, Schatzman, Bucher, Ehrlich and Sabshin, 1964). The universe
of discourse is referred to in communicative action in social media. In such communicative
actions, the actors negotiate a common meaning through dialogue and interpretation. This is
an operation on social media through structural features that tend to dialogue in their fields
rather than traditional websites (Dickey and Lewis, p.40). This dialogical exchange enables
discourse actions such as building relationships, developing social situations and power
imbalances that potentially affect or catalyze social issues. Social movements, cyber bullying
and online sexual predation on social issues are influenced or initiated by discourse within
and / or social media structures. The goal of most social movements is to protect the weak.
Social media has led to the empowerment of textual discourse among social media
participants. The motivation of empowerment is in line with the CDA, both of which serve to
improve the reality for low-income groups. In contrast, cyber bullying and online sexual
predation are situations where the population is easily victimized through discourse in social
media. In this case, the CDA can play a role in understanding the power imbalance between
the offender and the victim to improve the social media environment for the vulnerable
population.

The social movement is "a form of collective action that deals with social conflict
and aims to change the social order: It is a process of action and interaction involving the
fundamental elements of the building of collective identity" (Thorn 2007, p. 900). This
definition draws the notion of discourse through the concepts of action and interaction. The
idea of changing social structure can be related to the CDA's primary concern, improving the
lives of ordinary people. One of the most recognizable social actions in recent history is the
Egyptian revolution. Through text on Facebook those who engage in discourse, organize
protests and cause governments to worry that it's "shutting down Internet and cell phone
networks across the country" (Nelson 2012, p. 21). This is a great example of building
relationships, the development of social situations and the power imbalances evidenced
throughth esocial media's discursive system.

Cyber bullying is another example of a social problem in which research IS is

interested. Defined as a deliberate and repetitive problem caused through the use of cell
phones and electronic devices (Gradinger et al., 2010; Hinduja and Patchin, 2011), virtual
bullying has emerged as a consequence of unwanted social media. Social media worsen the
danger of being "(Snakenborg dkk, 2011 p. 88) The most recent case is known at Rutger
University where Dharun Ravi filmed his roommate Tyler Clementi, engaged in romantic
encounters with other men and streamed online Discourse into social situations when Ravi
brings to Twitter to tell the world what he has seen on the webcam and invites others to see
the flow of the next meeting (Mach, 2013) .In this case, the relationship between Ravi and his
followers The social situation is a stream of romantic encounters A power imbalance is
evident in Ravi's ignore Clementi's privacy.

Finally, online sexual prediction of children presents other social issues in which IS
research is interrelated. Online research on exploited children. In online research social media
can access multiple victims simultaneously, hiding behind anonymity masks and gathering
information about children (Berson, 2000). Through online predator conversations can
sacrifice children with text, images, live webcam and hyperlinks (Quayle and Taylor, 2011).
Social media negates the need for sexual predators to be near physical proximity with
children in order to become their victims (Albert and Salam, 2012). The relationship in this
discourse between children and predators. The social situation is the creation of discourse by
online predators in an attempt to move children into their own predatory desires. Power
imbalances can be seen as child sacrifices.

Every example of a social problem featured here features a unique discourse

universe where the discourse in social media influences the society and the lives of ordinary
people. With a focus on discourse, the Critical Discourse Analysis approach will be the right
choice to examine the phenomenon and move towards theory in social media. As a type of
information and communication technology, social media manifests resources by functional
properties that determine their use. This includes the notion of risk lies in the consequences of
unwanted use of social media. With regard to information technology, the time of technology
is not necessarily intended. "(Conole & Dyke, 2004, p. 119). In the next section we have an
overview of ongoing research in children's online sex predictions.

PREDATORY COERCION IN SOCIAL MEDIA: ILLUSTRATION OF THE CDA

APPROACH IN THEORY BUILDING

We use the Fairclough dialectical relational approach to the coercive phenomenon

of coercion of children in social media. The corpus for this study is a subset of Loss Judicial
transcripts covering 23,237 lines of chat consisting of 112 keywords, as many as .455 words
"(Albert and Salam, 2012) .The constructs of theory include coercion, alternative social
reality, reactance, learning disabilities and In this example, activity control and predatory
change of intentions to control social situational discourse (Anderson, 2011). Alternative
social strategies are the textual framework in which the predators desire (Entman 1993)
Reactance is the involvement of the child in the behaviors / activities performed by authority
figures trying to limit (Thacker, 1992) The helplessness learned is the child's resignation to a
reality that will not change his actions (Thacker, 1992) .Control is a child's involvement in
the Behavior / activity that he feels will bring happiness, justice and / or satisfaction (Selim,
2011) By utilizing the construction this, the proposed theoretical model wa. s were developed
and then evaluated using a dialectical-relational approach.

The dialectical-relational approach (DRA) requires three stages; The first is

discourse. This is a text evaluation between predators and children for choices and patterns in
vocabulary, grammar, cohesion, and text structure. From this step, the example of the
proposed theoretical model reveals variations of coercive application through communicative
discourse in social media. In the second stage of DRA, discourse as practice, the text is
evaluated for speech, coherence, intertextuality and institutional processes (Cukier et al.,
2009; Sheyholislami, 2001). From this step, the effects of the relationship between the author
and the discourse reader, the structural effects of discourse and the attributes of social media
on the discourse are revealed. In the final stages of DRA, sociocultural practices, the idea of
online sexual predators spreading the ideology in social media, as well as the acceptance of
the ideology have been addressed. Together, these theoretical approaches and constructs
provide insight into the predictions of community life.

Through online sexual prediction these children are recognized as a social issue.
Social media is recognized as a discursive system with institutional attributes that affect
discourse. Table 2 contains a comparison
Albert, et al. Critical Discourse Analysis: Toward Theory in Social Media
Proceedings of the 19th American Conference on Information Systems, Chicago, Illinois, 15-
17 August 2013. 5
principles for conducting critical research (Myers and Klein, 2011) with DRA and extended
to forcing predators on social media. While Myers and Klein state that CDA principles are
met through a CDA dialectical relational approach. This is an approach to building social
media theory.

Element of Critique Dialectical-Relational Predatory Coercion in Social

Approach Media Example
1. Principle of using core Allows for use of constructs Utilizes constructs of
concepts from critical social from pertinent domain coercion, alternate social
theorists theories realities, reactance, learned
helplessness and social
control
2. Principle of taking a value Rooted in discourse, Employs lens of social media
position promotes the use of a as a discursive system
discursive lens
3. Principle of revealing and Includes evaluation of Challenges the idea of online
challenging prevailing beliefs ideology and hegemony, sex offenders having weak
 and social practices potentially challenging what ideological power
is ‘known’ or accepted

4. Principle of individual Provides mechanism for Shows how sexual predators

emancipation revealing human needs,
potential and selfreflection
through discourse
5. Principle of improvements
in society Includes step for evaluating
and recommend
improvements to society and
culture impacted by context
of study
are able to fulfill their
ideologic
Recommends further
research of online sexual
predator communicative acts
toward improved protection
for children online

6. Principle of improvements Allows for theoretical Proposes theoretical model

in social theories enhancements through use of for study of predatory
domain theories and coercion inside social media
recommendations for societal
improvements

Table 2 Execution of CDA through a Principles of Critical Research Lens Adapted from (Myers &
Klein, 2011)

critical realist paradigm (CR) with case studies in IS research. Table 3 contains a comparison
of the critical realist approaches proposed by Wynn and Williams (2012) with the dialectical-
relational CDA approach. The similarity exists between critical realism and dialecticational
CDA. differences in learning paradigm of trial consist of social structure, physical structure
and contextual environment. In addition, both entrepreneurs of social and physical structures
can influence the contextual environment and thus the event. The power possessed by this
paradigm is a method of expressing causality. CR describes causality through the details of
"the way or process by which events are generated by the structures, actions, and contextual
conditions involved in a given situation" (Wynn and Williams 2012, p. 789). The CDA
expands the scope to specifically include "social and cultural structures and relationships,"
(Sheyholislami, 2001 p.1).

There is a difference between CDA and CR that is important for social media
theory. A different aspect of CDA is the initial step of discourse analysis. Literally, the
leverage of theoretical constructs in discourse. The researcher can then examine how the
textual discourse is related to the social structure and if there is a mutual relationship between
the two. This is important for the development of social media theory due to the fact that in
social media, the text is a driving event. In the above mentioned study on children's online
sexual predation that text is a mechanism used by predators to force children toward
victimization. Understand how safe power discourse for predators (Albert and Salam, 2012).

the difference between CDA and CR is important for social media theory. A different aspect
of CDA is the initial step of discourse analysis. Literally, the leverage of theoretical
constructs in discourse. The researcher can then examine how the textual discourse is related
to the social structure and if there is a mutual relationship between the two. This is important
for the development of social media theory due to the fact that in social media, the text is a
driving event. In the above mentioned study on children's online sexual predation that text is
a mechanism used by predators to force children toward victimization. Understand how safe
power discourse for predators (Albert and Salam, 2012).

CR Principle Definition Dialectical-Relational CDA

Explication of Events Foundation for phenomenological Discourse: events and text

understanding based on
identification and abstraction of
events
Social and physical structure, Discourse: structure and contextual
contextual environment, environment
Explication of Structure and relationships among these Discourse as Practice: relationships
Context between structure and environment
Retroduction Powers, impact of structure on Discourse as Practice: how text is
events produced and transformed impacts
the event, role of institution in the
event
Empirical Corroboration Causal power, best explanatory Discourse as Practice: evidential
power validation of theoretical
relationships
Sociocultural Practice: evidential
revelation of connections between
social structure, social practices
and discourse practices
Triangulation & Multimethods Multiple approaches used to Does not restrict methodology or
support causal analysis theory employed by researcher

Table 3. Comparison of Critical Realist Principles and Dialectical-Relational CDA Approach (Wynn &
Williams, 2012)

There is an in-depth case versus the extent inherent in social media theory, which is accessible to
most accessible digital data. the CDA theory framework is offered as an option to address this issue (Urquhart
and Vaast 2012). The paper currently supports this recommendation.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

Critical Discourse Analysis offers one theoretical framework to address the deficit of social
media theories in IS. The current paper presents the six approaches of CDA, outlining its use in the
study of social issues. Social media is described as a discursive system that embodies social issues.
Then, the dialectical-relational approach of CDA is compared to the principles of critical research in
IS, resulting in an alignment. An example of the dialectical-relational approach applied within social
media in order to examine the online predation of children is provided as evidence. Additionally,
CDA is compared to the principles for critical realist research in IS. The result of this comparison
reveals similarities between the two, although CDA is noted as differing in its foundation on linguistic
techniques. So, while CDA fits the profile for critical research in IS and brings to the field a linguistic
analysis technique for examination of social phenomena, it is curious that researchers who specialize
in CDA, a field which views discourse as social practice, are not seizing “every opportunity to look at
discourse in a medium which is now such a key space for enacting social practice, and for reflecting
and shaping social processes and problems” (Mautner 2005, p. 810). Future steps in the study of
online sexual predation of children using CDA will include testing of the developed theoretical
framework, application of grounded theory to the data through CDA for the purpose of exploration
to ensure all pertinent constructs are represented in the theoretical framework and follow up testing
if this step results in changes to that model.

Critical Discourse Analysis offers a theoretical framework for the study of social issues
through analysis of discourse. Social media is a discursive system in which social issues are enacted
through textual discourse. Together these elements provide IS researchers with a plethora of
phenomena for study. As previously discussed, social movements, cyber bullying and online sexual
predation are three phenomena within social media which could be examined. Those issues, though,
are just the tip of the iceberg. The lack of restrictions on methodology and domain theory invites
researchers to bring unique perspectives to the CDA approaches. IS researchers can bridge this
theoretical framework with appropriate methodologies and domain theories to improve the lives of
ordinary people. These approaches provide a critical lens with which to study “the social impact of
the information and communications technology (ICT) that, in the developed world at least, is
central to both economy and society” (O’Donnell & Henriksen, 2002, p. 89).
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