Delegitimating the Nigerian State and other anti-Boko Haram in selected messages of Abubakar Shekau
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In: Critical Studies on Terrorism, 2024.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Delegitimating the Nigerian State and other anti-Boko Haram in selected messages of Abubakar Shekau
AU - Osisanwo, Ayo
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - This paper examines the delegitimation of the Other in selected messages of Boko Haram (BH), using seven of the messages delivered by the longest-serving BH leader, Abubakar Shekau. The messages delivered during Shekau’s period as the BH leader between 2009 and 2021, were identified using f4analyse as a coding tool and discussed analytically using Theo van Leeuwen’s Discourse Legitimation approach to discourse analysis. The analysis unearths Shekau’s deployment of four delegitimation strategies: authorisation, moralisation, rationalisation and mythopoesis to discredit the actions and practices of the Other–those who do not associate with BH. The four delegitimation strategies are linguistically realised through negative other-presentation strategy. The messages deployed polarisation, other-condemnation, other-blaming, negative tagging (derogatory labelling/nomination) of anti-BH, other-exclusivity in perceived positive contexts, metaphorising, hyperbolising and euphemising to accentuate in-group consensus and in-group solidarity. The strategies are deployed to negatively represent the Other in order to delegitimise their actions, beliefs and principles.
AB - This paper examines the delegitimation of the Other in selected messages of Boko Haram (BH), using seven of the messages delivered by the longest-serving BH leader, Abubakar Shekau. The messages delivered during Shekau’s period as the BH leader between 2009 and 2021, were identified using f4analyse as a coding tool and discussed analytically using Theo van Leeuwen’s Discourse Legitimation approach to discourse analysis. The analysis unearths Shekau’s deployment of four delegitimation strategies: authorisation, moralisation, rationalisation and mythopoesis to discredit the actions and practices of the Other–those who do not associate with BH. The four delegitimation strategies are linguistically realised through negative other-presentation strategy. The messages deployed polarisation, other-condemnation, other-blaming, negative tagging (derogatory labelling/nomination) of anti-BH, other-exclusivity in perceived positive contexts, metaphorising, hyperbolising and euphemising to accentuate in-group consensus and in-group solidarity. The strategies are deployed to negatively represent the Other in order to delegitimise their actions, beliefs and principles.
KW - Abubakar Shekau
KW - Boko Haram
KW - messages
KW - Nigeria
KW - other-delegitimation
KW - Language Studies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85203047639&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/32ad1377-920b-35a4-a877-10791ba74918/
U2 - 10.1080/17539153.2024.2397150
DO - 10.1080/17539153.2024.2397150
M3 - Journal articles
AN - SCOPUS:85203047639
JO - Critical Studies on Terrorism
JF - Critical Studies on Terrorism
SN - 1753-9153
ER -