Discourse Analysis of the Eleventh President’s Speeches in International Organizations (Causes and Actions)
Keywords:
International Organizations, Eleventh Administration, Discourse Analysis, Discourse of Moderation, Eleventh PresidentAbstract
Governments, based on their approaches and interests, emphasize various discursive elements and signifiers within international organizations and produce a specific discourse. The primary goal of such actions by governments is to introduce a semantic system, highlight their discursive signifiers and elements, and simultaneously oppose and marginalize rival discourses. The Eleventh Administration of Iran (2013–2017), known as the “Prudence and Hope” administration and associated with the discourse of moderation, sought to utilize the platform of international meetings and summits to articulate its semantic framework on key foreign policy issues. This article aims to examine and identify the internal logic and semantic system of the speeches delivered by Mr. Hassan Rouhani, the Eleventh President of Iran, in international meetings and summits by employing the discourse analysis theory of Laclau and Mouffe. It introduces the most significant articulated signifiers and elements, and analyzes the causes, objectives, and actions associated with the adoption and use of these signifiers and elements. The findings of this study indicate that, in addition to addressing key regional and international issues, Mr. Rouhani frequently employed phrases such as "constructive engagement," "violence and extremism," "terrorism," "peaceful nuclear activities," "nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation," and "lifting of sanctions" more than other signifiers and elements in international organizations. The main reasons for referencing each of these signifiers and elements—which constitute major themes in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran—include the expression of the Eleventh Administration’s foreign policy approach, responding to statements by European and American officials, and efforts to oppose and differentiate from the discourses and narratives of Western countries. The article also offers suggestions related to each of these signifiers
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