MEHR-UN-NISA , DR. MURALITHARAN DORAISAMY PILLAI , DR. GULZAR AHMED
DOI: https://doi.org/This article presents an analysis of media representations of the 2022 flood in Pakistan through a comparative critical discourse analysis (CDA) of two news articles published in Pakistani and American newspapers. Grounded in Norman Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework, the study explores textual, discursive and social practices in the articles published in Dawn (Pakistan) and The Washington Post (USA). The study draws on competing narratives, where the article in Dawn identifies internal governance shortcomings – including an urban planning failure, policy gaps, and unsustainable development practices – while downplaying external factors. The article in The Washington Post, however, places the floods in a wider context of global climate injustice, tying the crisis to Western industrialization, historic greenhouse gas emissions, and the global conversation around international climate finance. The two articles utilize different linguistic techniques comprised of separate choice of words, active and passive module of verbal construction, and different modalities for creating their stories. The work also looks at intertextuality and interdiscursivity. The results suggest that media discourse on environmental crises does not simply mirror but also informs public knowledge and policy initiatives, adding to discussions around a national responsibility versus global accountability. This comparative analysis provides guidance for media practitioners and policymakers, calling for a balanced approach in disaster reporting that includes both internal policy reforms and other dimensions of climate justice. The paper recommends the continued need for integrated media frameworks to ensure balanced stories are communicated in the context of growing climate-induced catastrophes. The findings underscore the importance of media accountability and balanced communication in environmental emergencies.
