INTERCULTURALIDAD EN ECUADOR. Un análisis crítico de discurso de quince artículos de la prensa ecuatoriana

Abstract

This thesis examines how the concept of interculturality is used in Ecuadorian newspapers. Newspapers are an important medium in the society when it comes to influence people's perception of the reality and can therefore be considered as an actor in shaping the public perception of the concept. The purpose of the study is to situate, describe and analyse the contemporary discourse of interculturality presented in three Ecuadorian newspapers. Fifteen newspapers articles published 2010-2016 will be analysed through Walsh’s (2009) three perspectives of interculturality, relational, functional and critical. The method used is a critical discourse analysis (CDA), and the theoretical framework builds on Van Dijk's (2009) theories of discourse and power. To live together in harmony and with respect for each other has been the aim of Ecuador's indigenous people since the European conquest in the 1500s, when their struggle for their existence and social rights started. One of Latin America's strongest indigenous movements is CONAIE, Confederación de Nacionalidades Indigenas del Ecuador. They managed to position themselves in the national politics in the 90s, aiming for a “Plurinational State” and a “intercultural society”, to break the existing inequalities and create a more equal society. Since then the concept interculturality is used by CONAIE, however today it is also present in the constitutional texts, educational reforms and public policy. The analysis shows that the concept is used in a variety of news that communicate intercultural events, from different types of festivities to education and including the indigenous people in the Ecuadorian society. Few articles discuss social problems associated with the concept such as racism, inequality and discrimination. The main problem found in almost all articles is that the events associated with interculturality is mainly focused on the indigenous people and not on a relation and coexistence between the indigenous and non indigenous. Instead the newspapers use different discursive strategies to create a distance towards the indigenous people and also interculturality. It can be concluded that the concept introduced by CONAIE to combat inequalities today through the press is used in a very different way, and even used to transmit unequal relations.