Sedykh, N. S. Mediadiscourse about Terrorism: Social and Psycholinguistic Aspects

Abstract: The author of the article describes the key features of terrorism that reveal this phenomenon in terms of globalization of modern information security risks, threats and challenges. The author provides results of linguistic researches and expertise of public and media discourse on terrorism and also analyzes practices using the words ‘terrorism’, ‘terrorist’ and ‘terrorize’ both in direct and figurative meanings. In this regard the author also analyzes the issues of transformation of the commonsense under the influence of particular mediadiscursive practices. The author also discusses some results and consequences of the ‘discursive pressure’ and ‘informational aggression’ and analyzes social images of terrorism created by the commonsense. The author also shares the results of the empiric research that was conducted by the author for the purpose of studying images of the terrorist actors (terror leaders, perpetrators, male and female suiciders) presented by the university students of the southern Russian region. The author summarizes and compares data and makes conclusions about psychological consequences of terrorist aggression as well as their prolonged influence on the individual and public minds. In conclusion the author focuses on the need to activate informational anti-terrorism and to develop social, psycholinguistic and public communications aimed at counteracting the extremist ideology and establishing anti-terrorist values in the Russian society.

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