DISCOURSES OF DEMOCRACY AND RESILIENCE: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF KAMALA HARRIS’S CONCESSION SPEECH

Abstract

This Paper is a critical analysis of Kamala Harris's post-election concession speech after losing against Donald Trump on November 5th 2024. The main focus of this research is her resilience that she shows even after losing and her faith in democracy. Harris's speech about democracy and resilience stands as the main topic of analysis because this research looks into her delivery methods during the address. The research focuses on Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of analyzing a discourse with discursive and social practices. This method enables researchers to study speech elements both from the linguistic perspective and through evaluations of political influences as well as societal effects. The research demonstrates how Harris delivered a letter that acknowledged defeat yet maintained democratic principles  and encouraged political commitment after the electoral loss. Various persuasive strategies alongside references to other texts and strategic narrative structures allow the speech to build a story of continued democratic commitment alongside resilience. The analysis studies how multiple factors between language and power and ideological dynamics work in a significant political scenario to demonstrate  how concession statements protect electoral legitimacy through 'losers' consent' following voting results.

Word Count: 4263, Excluding references.