Malawi Presidential Election 2019. Discourse Analysis of the Candidates' Speeches

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2020 in the subject Politics - Region: Africa, grade: 2,3, , language: English, abstract: This study analyzed three selected speeches from candidates in the 2019 Presidential election in Malawi. The author discusses speeches by Saulos Chilima, Peter Mutharika and Lazarus Chakwera in order find out the discourse strategies that were used in the resepective political campaigns.

The study employes a qualitative research design in order to answer the research question. Further, it uses a critical discourse analysis to analyze how language was used in the political campaigns. The study discoveres that the three presidential candidates used several discourse strategies to win the votes of the people. Some of the discourse strategies employed include the use of collective and singular pronouns to position political actors differently on the focus of responsibility and unity and the excessive use of metaphors. Furthermore, presidential candidates also used evidence and authority to support their arguments in an effort to garner support from the electorates. Choice of words was used to exclude and discriminate others from the contest. It was also discovered that political actors used opaque language in their speeches to hide their agenda of winning consent from the people.

The author of this text is not a native English speaker. Please excuse any grammatical errors and other inconsistencies.