Constructing politicized national identities: identity positioning by US, China, and Philippine opinion editorials on the Scarborough Shoal conflict

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2019

Abstract

How do newspapers’ opinion editorials produce national identities of nations involved in an international conflict? This study examines op-eds in the US, China and the Philippines, which discuss the Scarborough Shoal conflict. Data processing includes word-association calculations and positioning analysis. Results demonstrate self-vested national identities. China-based articles create national identities around the goal of preserving political clout in the Asia-Pacific. US op-eds invert China’s goal and generate identities asserting US regional power. Philippine commentaries portray China as a bully and the US as a defender. Results are discussed in light of the link between politicized national identities and global clashes.

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