Competing Narratives, Contested Power: Examining Military-Civilian Relations in Pakistan through CDA

Abstract

This research analyzed the ways in which media coverage contributes to the dynamics of the military–civilian relationship in Pakistan, with emphasis on how the media affects public opinion and the development of democracy. The goal of the study, therefore, is to analyze how the military, civilian politicians, and the media use language to create and manage power relations. Emphasizing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) methodology, the study employs Foucauldian power-knowledge and Gramscian hegemony to examine the construction and circulation of military storytelling. The method employed in this research includes traditional media content analysis, political speeches, online social media analysis, and in-depth interviews with selected stakeholders. Data analysis entails using CDA to determine the discursive motifs, discursive tactics, and the struggle of power. This paper illustrates that traditional media facilitates the positive representation of the military as a defender institution and social media both encourage and destabilize the narrative, sometimes by disseminating fake news and encourage the formation of echo chambers. Thus, the study enriches the conclusions on how media and social media impact military civilian relations and democratic processes in Pakistan, along with the role of language and discourse in preserving and challenging power dynamics. The findings of the study present specific implications for media analysts and scholars involved in the examination of media power and democracy.