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Thank you, we are leaving: A case of factual victory and discourse failure

Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2015

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a discursive image of the Děkujeme, odcházíme ('Thank you, we are leaving') initiative - a movement which was trying to draw attention to the problems of Czech health care system and achieve their solutions in the years 2010-2011. In the public sphere, there emerged a conflict of two groups represented by doctors on the one side and the Ministry of Health on the other side.

The media played key role in this conflict, which shaped the discourse by their interpretation of the doctors' requirements and presented the discourse image to the public. Using some elements of the theoretical frame of discourse-historical approach to critical discourse analysis, the study analyzes the means of labelling and characterizing the main actors and also some other discourse strategies such as criminalization, threat of crisis or thematization of PR campaign.

The subject of analysis is a sample of eighty media texts. The analysis shows how closely related is a change of public support to the Děkujeme, odcházíme initiative and a thematic transformation of discourse, particularly narrowing the affair only to a problem of money.

The study points out that although the doctors accomplished their demands and won factually, they failed discursively.