The Ibn Rushd College of Education for Humanities hosted a master’s thesis discussion titled “Representing Iraq in Travel Blogs: A Discourse Analysis Study” by researcher Ibrar Saad Sawadi, a linguist from the Department of English Language. The discussion committee consisted of Assistant Professor Dr. Baidaa Abbas Ghaban, Chair; Assistant Professor Dr. Huda Abdul Ali Hattab, Member; Assistant Professor Dr. Majid Rasm Younis, Member and Supervisor; and Assistant Professor Dr. Samar Sami Hammadi, External Member from Al-Nahrain University.
The study aimed to review the discourse used in contemporary tourism blogs to represent Iraq. It also demonstrated the crucial role tourism discourse plays in these blogs in influencing perceptions of Iraq and shaping its attractiveness as a tourist destination. It also examined the extent to which the linguistic choices adopted by tourism bloggers can significantly impact readers’ perceptions, either increase Iraq’s attractiveness or reinforcing negative stereotypes about it.
The study used a mixed-method approach to analyze five tourism blogs about Iraq. The study adopts an eclectic model based on the theory of systemic functional linguistics, specifically conceptual meaning and reciprocal meaning. The researcher confirmed through the study that Iraq has been positively represented in recent years, reflecting the country’s potential attractiveness. She also emphasized that material processes are the predominant type used to reflect travel experiences in Iraq. The three elements of the multiplicity system are strategically employed to influence how the country is perceived.
