RESEARCH OUTLINE THE DECLARATION OF POWER: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS ON BARRACK OBAMA ULTIMATUM TO MOAMMAR GHADDAFI

Arranged by: DINAR WICAHYO F1F008105

MINISTRY OF NATIONAL EDUCATION JENDERAL SOEDIRMAN UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SCIENCES HUMANITY DEPARTMENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE PROGRAM PURWOKERTO 2012

1. TITLE OF THE RESEARCH

THE DECLARATION OF POWER: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS ON PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMAS ULTIMATUM TO MOAMMAR GHADDAFI

2. FIELD OF RESEARCH
This research deals with the concept that language and power are linked (Fairclough:1989). Power, especially in political discourse, can be determined by the use of language, and vice versa. This relationship is studied in the discipline of the Critical Discourse Analysis. Ruth Wodak in Language, Power and Ideology, defines the field of Critical Discourse Analysis which she calls "critical linguistics," as "an interdisciplinary approach to language study with a critical point of view" for the purpose of studying "language behavior in natural speech situations of social relevance." Wodak focuses on "diverse theoretical and methodological concepts" and suggests that these can also be used for "analyzing issues of social relevance," while it would lead into "inequality and injustice revelation in which is happening in actual social circumstances. According to Teun van Dijk, Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is a kind of discourse research which primarily studies the way social power abuse, dominance, and inequality are enacted, reproduced, and resisted by text and talk in the social and political context in an analytical way. With such study, the understanding, exposition, and ultimate resistance to social inequality may occur.

3. RESEARCH BACKGROUND
The way we use language is the reflection of our social background and social status. The way we perceive language is the foundation of our social construction and individual or group relationships. We deliver ideas, feelings and interests through the use of language. There is something to be intrinsically lies beyond our speech act, which we do not show it directly through our words, yet is reflected by the way we apply language. A particular discourse, spoken or written, may come from different

sources such as power, cultural or social background, region or social status. This paper aims to discuss the realization of language use as a means to reflect power in political discourse as Fairclough stated; language and power are linked. In political discourse, language plays a crucial role. This research is likely to discuss the relationship between language and social power which regard the power of groups rather than individual one. According to Van Dijk, social power is based on privileged access to socially valued resources such as wealth, income, position, status, force, group membership, education or knowledge. Especially in political discourse, where power is a means to bring ideas in various aspects like economic, social, politic itself and so on, into practice. Barrack Obama, as the representative of The United States and allies has the power of wealth, position, knowledge, technology and especially in force that represents dominances toward Moammar Ghaddafi and allies. In his speech, as to respond to the political crisis mainly caused by the Tyrant government of Moammar Ghaddafi in Libya, Barrack Obama delivers an ultimatum. This ultimatum is viewed by the researcher as a declaration of power, stated beyond dominance. As shown in a sentence of his speech below for example; Now, once more, Moammar Ghaddafi has a choice. From sociolinguistics view, this single sentence is said in such way with implications that while giving the statement that Moammar Ghaddafi has a choice, this expression implies a warning to him to take an affirmative decision to the ongoing crisis in his country. This shows that Obama has a power, he and his colleagues has a bigger force, reflects a dominance toward subordinate groups. Hence, the researcher is really interested to expose the complete phenomenon of the dominance in the speech and social consequences related to.

4. OBJECT OF RESEARCH

The object of the research is the speech of Barrack Obama as the political statement about the crisis in Libya and as the ultimatum to the President of Libya, Moammar Ghaddafi on March 11th 2011. This speech is preferred as the object of

research because this implies a realization of a power demonstration through language.

5. STATE OF PROBLEMS

The researcher states the problems into the following questions; a. How does Barrack Obama as the representative of the powerful groups (the United States of America) control the public discourse (the press conference)? b. How does Barrack Obamas speech reflect the dominant power? c. What are the social consequences of the speech?

6. THEORIES

A. Critical Discourse Analysis This research applies the analytical model of Discourse Analysis, the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Critical Discourse Analysis is an approach in discourse study which views language as a realization of social activity and focuses on how social and political dominance are shown in either spoken and written texts. CDA was prominently proposed by Norman Fairclough with his idea that language and power are linked. In his book Language and Power, He describes CDA as a method of multidisciplinary study throughout humanities and social sciences. While Ruth Wodak proposed that there is a field in language study which can be occupied to analyze language in a critical way. She called the field as Critical Linguistics. In her book, Language, Power and Ideology, this field is a means to investigate language behavior in natural situations of social relevance. To analyze issues of social relevance, Wodak assumes that there should be a different theoretical and methodological concept as to expose the existence of inequality and injustice. She also suggests the use of multiple methods in conducting language research besides recognizing the historical and social aspects as well. Critical Discourse Analysis primarily studies the way social power abuse, dominance, and inequality are enacted, reproduced, and resisted by text and talk in the social and political context (van Dijk). This approach is mainly about to expose social inequality which is reflected through language use as its object of analysis

and its purpose is eventually to make a resistance toward the social inequality itself. CDA is not a specific direction of research, yet it is supposed to expose the reproduction of social dominance in forms of any genres and context. Hence, this study is related much with power, dominance, hegemony, ideology, class, gender, race, discrimination, interests, reproduction, institutions, social structures and social order rather than other discourse analysis notions. B. Definition of Ultimatum According to Merriam Webster dictionary, ultimatum derives from Latin word ultimatus which means a final proposition, condition, or demand; especially : one whose rejection will end negosiations and cause a resort to force or other direct action. Ultimatum is taken where a problem between two sides or more has not come into an end. An ultimatum is commonly used in political field when an individual or group warns another individual or group about certain matter. C. A brief about Political crisis in Libya The crisis in Libya rose as a revolt of the people of Libya toward the tyrant government that has been held for forty years. The crisis began as the protest to the very long periods of government and the dissatisfaction of Libyan people to the reckless governing of their President, Moammar Ghaddafi. Moammar Ghaddafi has been Libyas number one for four decades. He treats an absolute power to his people with almost no democracy at all. He always had a willingness to kill any civilians who threaten his position as the president. This way of governing makes the Libyan people want to end the regime, yet there are still Libyan people who belong to Ghaddafis side. Hundreds people were killed, and many more are injured as the impact.

7. REFERENCES
Dijk, T. A. (2001). Critical Discourse analysis. In D. S. D. Tannen, Handbook of Discourse Analysis (pp. 352-371). Oxford: Blackwell. Fairclough, N. (2001). Language and Power. London: Longman. Wodak, R. (1989). Language Power and Ideology. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing. critical discourse analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved january 20, 2012, from Wikipedia: http://www.wikipedia.com global issues. (2011, April 4). Retrieved february 16, 2012, from global issues.org: http://globalissues.org obama gives ghaddafi ultimatum. (2011). Retrieved februuary 2012, from talk radio news: http://www.talkradionews.com