Identity, Education, and Ideology in Malala Yousafzai’s 2013 UN Speech: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

This study examines Malala Yousafzai’s 2013 United Nations speech through the lens of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Drawing on the frameworks of Fairclough (1), Van Dijk (2), and Wodak (3), the study investigates how language is deployed to construct identity, represent education, and convey ideological positions. Qualitative analysis of four purposively selected excerpts identifies key linguistic strategies, including anaphora, pronoun shift, metaphor, agency construction, and normative lexis. The analysis is organized around three thematic dimensions and seven analytical categories: Identity (Survivor; Advocate), Education (Right to Education; Empowerment), and Ideology (Liberation; Social Change; Moral Responsibility; Representation of the Oppressed). Findings reveal that Malala constructs a dual identity as survivor and global advocate, frames education as a universal human right and instrument of empowerment, and advances a counter-hegemonic discourse that positions knowledge against extremism. The study contributes to CDA scholarship on humanitarian advocacy and demonstrates how public discourse can be mobilized to challenge dominant power structures and promote social change.