Research seminar by Janet Ho from Lingnan University
This seminar revisits the compelling use of disaster metaphors in American media coverage of the 2008 global financial crisis, highlighting their pragmatic and rhetorical roles in shaping financial news narratives. By employing the Metaphor Identification Procedure, I analysed a 1-million-word corpus of news articles to explore the metaphorical meanings woven into financial discourse. I will discuss how a variety of disaster-related metaphors contributed to a widespread belief that the financial meltdown was an unavoidable calamity, effectively obscuring accountability.
Furthermore, in light of recent economic developments, including the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects and ongoing challenges like inflation and supply chain disruptions, I will explore the evolving relevance of disaster metaphors in financial discussions today. This evolution prompts critical reflections on how media shapes public perception and accountability during economic crises.
Dr. Janet Ho is Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics at Lingnan University, Hong Kong. She is interested in uncovering impositions of power, exploitation, and stigmatisation in discourses. Her main research foci are discursive representation of identity, media framing, and metaphors. Her recent publications have appeared in international journals including Applied Linguistics, Metaphor and Symbol, and Discourse Studies.