THE “WE–THEY” MODEL AND THE CRITERIA OF SUBJECTIVITY AND OBJECTIVITY IN POLITICAL AND DIPLOMATIC DISCOURSE

Abstract

Language plays a crucial role in shaping ideological positions, social identities and communicative strategies in political and diplomatic discourse. One of the most widely used rhetorical mechanisms in these domains is the “we–they” model, which constructs symbolic boundaries between in-groups and out-groups. This article examines how linguistic means are employed to represent ideological positioning and communicative intentions in political and diplomatic discourse. Using qualitative discourse analysis, the study investigates the linguistic indicators of group representation, ideological positioning strategies and the criteria of subjectivity and objectivity in different types of texts. The findings demonstrate that political discourse frequently relies on explicit opposition between “we” and “they” in order to mobilize audiences and reinforce ideological legitimacy, while diplomatic discourse tends to soften such oppositions through indirect expressions and neutral formulations. The analysis also shows that subjectivity and objectivity function as important methodological criteria for identifying ideological stance in discourse. The study contributes to contemporary critical discourse analysis by demonstrating how language operates not only as a communicative tool but also as a mechanism for constructing social reality and power relations.