Constructing Otherness as Enemy: A Discourse Analysis Approach in Political Belief Communication in Social Media

Abstract

This article aimed to show contrasting political ideologies among Thai people which are segregated into several groups. Different political ideologies and values were conveyed and expressed through communications between these groups in public social media, one of the main sentiment expressed through political communication in Thai society were the concept of otherness and seeing different groups as enemies on the Thai political ground. This article examined political communication expressed in public Fanpages which mainly contributed content on politics, 60 status posted in these Fanpages were selected as data of the study. Result showed the construction of otherness through 16 types of discourse. Otherness and enemy constuction discouse was built through name-calling and physical-mocking discourse, referring to political party’s signature colour, referring to past actions of each different groups, using satirical speech and hate speech, forming up new mocking words, using negative meaning metaphors, vulgar and threatening words directed at the contrasting groups. Words which denoted superiority, inferiority, lack of intelligence and blaming others were found used vehemently to build up enemies.