Discourse Analysis of Cultural Events in the Serbske Nowiny

Stanislav Tomčík Discourse Analysis of Cultural Events in the Serbske Nowiny The present work analyzes the cultural discourse of the Serbske Nowiny daily and seeks to provide an answer to what the themes in the discourse are, how cultural events are evaluated, whether non-Sorbian related events are also covered and if so, whether they are evaluated differently. The subject of this survey is Sorbian culture and identity but it also touches on other themes present in the discourse as well. The thesis draws on methods of discourse-historical approach and works especially with the notion of strategies. In the discursive description of culture, Sorbian culture takes prior place of interest and the evaluation is overwhelmingly positive. Non-Sorbian cultural events are given marginal consideration so that the Sorbian identity is not constructed in contrast to the (German) outgroup, but on the basis of self-focus instead. Apart from constructive strategies which build up the image of Sorbian culture and identity, strategies of perpetuation are present. Their aim is to defend and to legitimize Sorbian identity. Other strategies such as strategies of transformation and destruction or the strategy of justification are applied only peripherally. Two strong tendencies can be found in the discourse. The first..