Discourse-Historical Analysis and Politics of Nationalism in The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

Abstract

This paper investigates Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness through Ruth Wodak’s Discourse-Historical Analysis (DHA) to elucidate the intricate interplay between the Politics of Nationalism and Exclusion, which collectively engender a pervasive fear of alienation. Drawing on the theoretical underpinnings of DHA, the paper uncovers the mechanisms by which fear is cultivated within nationalist discourse, beginning with an exploration of the interrelated phenomena of Discourse, Text, Fields of Action, and Context. Progressing to a second level of analysis, it identifies four macro discursive strategies, examining destructive strategies that seek to erode national identities. The third level emphasizes the strategy of Argumentation, which operates through mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion, reinforced by the topos of fear that delineates the binary opposition of ‘Us’ versus ‘Them. The paper aims to dismantle the fear propagated by nationalistic divisions while simultaneously fostering a platform for resistance discourse, advocating for a more inclusive narrative that challenges the prevailing paradigms of exclusion.