A Multi-model Perspective of Economy-related Semiotic Discourses of Pakistani Print Media

Abstract

Graphic satire is one of the important genres of print media and it is very tactfully used to cartoon the dual faces of the politicians and other persons belonging to various domains of life. Its significance cannot be denied as cartoons are meant for everybody. The present study critically decodes the semiotics related to IMF and economic issues of Pakistan which appeared in Dawn (daily) from May 1st 2023 to May 1st, 2024. The present study employs an integrated research design to analyse the data, which comprises three modes. These modes include word, picture and remarks of focus group participants.  The integrated research model has been devised by drawing upon Fairclough (2003), Kress (2010) and Kruger’s (2002) research model to analyse visual and verbal modes used in the cartoons. In order to validate findings of semiotic analysis the study employs Kruger’s (2002) model of Focus Group discussion data analysis. The findings of the study reveal that the emerging themes include dearness as frightening phenomenon, clutches of IMF on Pakistan, collapsing economy of Pakistan, mockery of Pakistan’s economy, price hiking and its comparison with petrol bomb falling on Pakistani masses. The study maintains that print media discourses mirror social reality of a particular context and are best sites of ideological investment.