The Discursive Construction of Loss, Resistance, and Resilience in Climate Change Discourse in Sub-Saharan African Newspaper Headlines
AKINSEYE Tolulope
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
tolulopeakinseye01@gmail.com
ORCID: 0009-0006-5425-1894
Abstract
Climate change is a pressing global issue, yet the way it is framed in media discourse significantly influences public perception and policy responses. This study examines the discursive construction of climate change in Sub-Saharan African newspaper headlines, with a particular focus on media framing strategies. Using a dataset of 384 climate change-related headlines from major newspapers across West, East, and Southern Africa, this research applies Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis and Entman’s Framing Theory to explore how climate narratives are constructed. The study reveals that media framing predominantly emphasizes solutions (49.4%) and problem identification (28.1%), while causal responsibility (11.3%) and moral evaluation (11.3%) receive less attention. Regional variations indicate that West African newspapers prioritize problem definition, while Southern African media balance environmental impact narratives with policy responses. East African coverage, though less voluminous, reflects growing engagement with climate discourse. The findings suggest that Sub-Saharan African newspapers construct climate change discourse in ways that foster awareness and action but may lack strong accountability narratives. This study contributes to the broader understanding of media influence on climate change perception in the Global South.
Keywords: Climate change in sub-Saharan Africa, discourse construction, resistance, newspaper headlines, resilience discourse
How to Cite this Paper :
Akinseye, T. (2026). The Discursive Construction of Loss, Resistance, and Resilience in Climate Change Discourse in Sub-Saharan African Newspaper Headlines. Atras Journal, 7(1), 229-246.
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