NEW LABOUR DISCOURSE

Abstract

The rapid pace of change has transformed the contemporary world into the Communication Age where the relation between language, culture and society is manifested in the ideological workings of language. The fundamental shift in the social functioning of language has affected the discursive moulding of politics. In a transdisciplinary study, New Labour discourse is examined in this dissertation from different standpoints to decode the internal messages that are transmitted through communication. In order to unfold the multi-layered meaning in New Labour discourse, a number of texts are discussed through Critical Discourse Analysis. This approach is an important analytical tool for the diversity of its focus. Social, political and linguistic theories are brought into dialogue and the result has shown the multi- faceted character of New Labour. The analysis of the New Clause IV, the 1997 manifesto, the Third Way politics, and some of Blair's speeches has revealed the novelty and consistency of New Labour project. The media's decisive role in propagating that image has evoked a positive reaction amongst the public. But when this public discovered New Labour intense preference for media spin to achieve political aims, discontent over the persuasive rhetorical style damaged the party's reputation. Blair's rise to and fall from power has affected tremendously the fortune of New Labour. What is significant in this dissertation is the context-text-relationship which identifies the specificity of the British political culture. However, the context of interpretation (Algerian) is different from the context of production (British), and this difference is another reason that has driven the study towards a theory of representation which provides additional analytical tools for understanding the language (English) of New Labour discourse.