Understanding Colourism Through Social Media Discourse (Twitter) Among Malaysians
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Date
2021-02
Authors
Zulkifli, Zulfati Izazi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This research is designed to study the pervasiveness of colourism in Malaysia
through discourses on the subject of skin colour that subsist on social media. Colourism
is essentially defined as a prejudice or discrimination based on skin colour. Principally,
this thesis discovers the commonly subtle act of colourism in the society by
concentrating on the discursive strategies and linguistic devices implemented in their
digital discourse. To accomplish this, a theoretical framework composed of Computer-
Mediated Discourse and Discourse-Historical Approach is formulated. To strengthen
the interpretation of discourse, the analysis is supported by Sociocognitive Approach
and Representation Theory. A method of organising the presentation of data is adapted
from the construction of Thematic Analysis. The composition of data is achieved by
conducting a virtual fieldwork, followed by a convenience sampling method of data
collection performed on a social media site called Twitter. This is a qualitative research
that reveals the underlying ideology through the construction of language in
the discourse of skin colour. The findings from this study suggests that colourism is
evidently present in Malaysia. A number of themes arise from their discourse about
skin colour, predominantly on the subject of beauty, self-esteem, skin bleaching, and
gender bias. Their discourse is realised through discursive strategies such as nomination,
predication, and argumentation, along with constructive linguistic devices such
as deixis, rhetoric, and verbs of feelings. Several argumentative strategies employed in their discourse reveals a number of concerning topoi in regard to skin colour, such as
the topoi of change, topoi of gender, and topoi of discrimination. The perspectivisation
of social actors in the study is constructed upon the purpose of their online communication,
which results to several significant perspectives, such as colourphobic, critics,
and the promoters of skin bleaching. This study is envisioned to contribute to the
understanding of the conceptualisation of skin colour among Malaysians by recognising
their ways of constructing their digital communication, as well acknowledging the
prevalence of colourism in this country.