Master’s Thesis Defense on Critical Discourse Analysis of Begging in English and Arabic at the College of Languages
The Department of English at the College of Languages, University of Baghdad, held the defense of the master’s thesis submitted by student Jinan Abdul‑Hassan Foujan, titled: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Begging in English and Arabic from an Ethnographic Perspective.
The thesis aimed to present a critical analysis of the discourse of begging by employing discourse analysis and ethnography of communication, examining contextual differences between Arab and English‑speaking cultures and their different social norms. The study also sought to uncover the linguistic strategies used by beggars in both societies and highlight how begging reflects concepts of power, marginalisation, and social exclusion.
The researcher analyzed field data collected from two U.S. states—New York and Florida—alongside data from the Karkh and Rusafa districts in Baghdad. The study adopted a selective analytical model combining Fairclough’s three‑dimensional framework (1995) with aspects of Hymes’ model (1962). It also utilized modern research tools such as interviews, field observations, audio transcription applications, and critical discourse analysis to uncover ideological dimensions within begging discourse. The results showed that begging discourse is closely tied to cultural and religious frameworks, reflecting societal values and the nature of interaction between beggars and passers‑by. The examination committee consisted of:
- Prof. Dr. Rehab Abdul‑Jalil Saeed — Chair
- Prof. Abeer Hadi Saleh — Member
- Dr. Marib Mohammed Sankour — Member
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Ibtehal Mahdi Abdul‑Karim — Supervisor and Member
