Desiree Russo: Framing war narratives: Corpus-based Humanitarian Discourse Analysis (HDA) of EU texts

The Department of Digital Humanities and Social Studies would like to invite you to the following talk in our DH Colloquium:

Desiree Russo: »Framing war narratives: Corpus-based Humanitarian Discourse Analysis (HDA) of EU texts«

Abstract:

In humanitarian discourse, war is framed not only as a military or geopolitical phenomenon, but in a way that activates moral principles and legal imperatives. Indeed, my doctoral research deals with war as a context that produces large-scale human suffering and violations of human rights and of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Therefore, the focus is on how the discourse foregrounds or backgrounds humanitarian operations in politics - e.g., how EU discourse aligns with the humanitarian principles of neutrality and humanity and how EU texts 'talk' about “civilians,” “victims,” “protection,” “relief,” “needs,” and “vulnerable groups.” Using a corpus-based HDA approach, it explores how language both reflects and shapes the EU’s identity as a humanitarian actor, its crisis response strategies, and its engagement with affected populations. The findings are intended to contribute to both discourse studies and humanitarian research by providing empirical insights into the ethical and discursive dimensions of EU operations in conflict zones, ultimately fostering more transparent and principled humanitarian action.

Further information and other upcoming talks in the Colloquium can be found here.