A doctoral dissertation titled “Cultural Identity in Television Talk Shows: A Critical Discourse Analysis Approach” was discussed at the College of Mass Communication, University of Baghdad, by researcher Adnan Tuaima Juhail.
The examination committee was chaired by Professor Dr Hussein Ali Noor, with Professor Dr Hussein Dobe Hssan serving as supervisor. The committee also included Assistant Professor Dr Tareq Ali Hammoud, Assistant Professor Dr Muntaha Hadi Hindi, and Professor Dr Baqir Musa Jassim, as well as Professor Dr Wissam Mohammed Ahmed Nasr as an external examiner.
The study aimed to examine the construction of cultural identity and its representations in Iraqi satellite television talk shows through critical discourse analysis approaches.
The findings revealed an implicit conflict between value systems among the participants in the study sample, a conflict that is embedded in the formation of cultural identity as it is reproduced through television interaction. The study also found that the scenographic dimension in talk shows does not function as a neutral aesthetic element.
The dissertation recommended expanding the use of qualitative methodologies in media research, as well as emphasising the importance of employing ethnographic approaches, particularly digital ethnography.
The study aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4: Quality Education, by calling for the development of research methodologies such as digital ethnography, thereby enhancing the quality of academic research and cultural and technological awareness within Iraqi academic institutions.
