A Critical Ecolinguistic Analysis of Environmental Discourse at Mulawarman University: Conservationism and Eco-Modernism in University Social Media
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24090/celti.2025.1347Keywords:
Ecolinguistics, Critical Discourse Analysis, Social Media, Environmental Discourse, Sustainability, Mulawarman UniversityAbstract
This study explores how environment and sustainability issues are represented in the social media discourse of Mulawarman University's student organizations. Using Fairclough’s Three-Dimensional Framework combined with an ecolinguistics approach, three Instagram posts were analyzed. The findings reveal that ecological terms and active language position humans as responsible agents for protecting nature, while nature is often portrayed as passive. Visual elements complement the textual messages to strengthen emotional engagement. The posts mainly function as awareness campaigns, referencing national policies but offering limited community perspectives. Socially, the discourse reflects conservationist and eco-modernist ideologies, focusing on institutional solutions. The study concludes that although Mulawarman University's digital environmental discourse successfully initiates meaningful conversations on ecological awareness, it remains symbolic. Future efforts should incorporate community perspectives and foster transformative ecological narratives for more profound societal impact.
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