What the study found
The study found that U.S. newspaper coverage of immigration uses speech acts, meaning kinds of communicative actions such as statements, requests, promises, and acknowledgments, to shape narratives and public opinion. It also found differences between liberal and conservative outlets in how immigrants are portrayed.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that media discourse has a powerful role in shaping perceptions of immigration. The study suggests that speech acts are not only descriptive language but also tools for ideological persuasion and public opinion formation.
What the researchers tested
The researchers analyzed 20 articles from five major U.S. newspapers: The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, New York Post, and New York Daily News. They used a mixed-methods approach, combining line-by-line coding with sentiment analysis, and grouped illocutionary acts into constatives, directives, commissives, and acknowledgments.
What worked and what didn't
Constatives were often used to establish ideological viewpoints through selective presentation of information. Directives were used to motivate or influence readers, while commissives and acknowledgments were linked to emotional connection or ideological stance; liberal outlets typically portrayed immigrants positively and encouraged inclusive conversations, whereas conservative outlets more often generated fear and urgency in support of stricter immigration measures.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe the study's limitations in detail. The analysis is based on 20 newspaper articles, so the findings are limited to the material included in this sample.
Key points
- The study examined immigration coverage in five major U.S. newspapers.
- It used speech act theory and sentiment analysis to analyze 20 articles.
- Constatives were used to present ideological viewpoints through selective information.
- Liberal outlets tended to portray immigrants positively and encourage inclusion.
- Conservative outlets more often emphasized fear and urgency for stricter immigration measures.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Newspaper speech acts frame U.S. immigration discourse differently
- Authors:
- Abbas Hussein Tarish
- Institutions:
- Mustansiriyah University
- Publication date:
- 2026-01-28
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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