Trust and politics in risk communication: Discourse analysis on radio frequency (RF) exposure in Malaysia
Radio frequency (RF) exposure from the proliferation of telecommunication structures in Malaysia triggers concerns as growing numbers of people claim that RF emission is a health hazard. Effective risk communication is needed to address this misperception but most risk communication programmes fail...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Universiti Malaya
2016-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Modern Languages |
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| Online Access: | https://ijps.um.edu.my/index.php/JML/article/view/2965 |
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| _version_ | 1846156766033739776 |
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| author | Prasana Rosaline Fernandez Surinderpal Kaur Mei Li Lean Kwan Hoong Ng |
| author_facet | Prasana Rosaline Fernandez Surinderpal Kaur Mei Li Lean Kwan Hoong Ng |
| author_sort | Prasana Rosaline Fernandez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Radio frequency (RF) exposure from the proliferation of telecommunication structures in Malaysia triggers concerns as growing numbers of people claim that RF emission is a health hazard. Effective risk communication is needed to address this misperception but most risk communication programmes fail because of public distrust. This is worrying as trust is a vital ingredient in communicating risk. As such, this study uses critical discourse studies and Candlin and Crichton’s focal theme of trust framework to examine how the politician’s discourse on RF exposure affects trust. The data is from four (4) face-to- face semi-structured interviews with politicians as they are answerable to their constituents’ protests. The findings reveal that politicians use blame avoidance and legitimization tactics to counter or reject the views of the ‘other’ in order to build trustworthy relationships with the local communities. But the politicians’ contradictory views on RF erode public trust and impede effective risk communication.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bea51f9beb7b44c0930131833da2c4a3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1675-526X 2462-1986 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
| publisher | Universiti Malaya |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Modern Languages |
| spelling | doaj-art-bea51f9beb7b44c0930131833da2c4a32024-11-25T19:00:12ZengUniversiti MalayaJournal of Modern Languages1675-526X2462-19862016-12-01261Trust and politics in risk communication: Discourse analysis on radio frequency (RF) exposure in MalaysiaPrasana Rosaline Fernandez0Surinderpal Kaur1Mei Li LeanKwan Hoong Ng2University of MalayaUniversity of MalayaUniversity of Malaya Radio frequency (RF) exposure from the proliferation of telecommunication structures in Malaysia triggers concerns as growing numbers of people claim that RF emission is a health hazard. Effective risk communication is needed to address this misperception but most risk communication programmes fail because of public distrust. This is worrying as trust is a vital ingredient in communicating risk. As such, this study uses critical discourse studies and Candlin and Crichton’s focal theme of trust framework to examine how the politician’s discourse on RF exposure affects trust. The data is from four (4) face-to- face semi-structured interviews with politicians as they are answerable to their constituents’ protests. The findings reveal that politicians use blame avoidance and legitimization tactics to counter or reject the views of the ‘other’ in order to build trustworthy relationships with the local communities. But the politicians’ contradictory views on RF erode public trust and impede effective risk communication. https://ijps.um.edu.my/index.php/JML/article/view/2965Risk communication, health discourse, radio frequency, politicians, trust |
| spellingShingle | Prasana Rosaline Fernandez Surinderpal Kaur Mei Li Lean Kwan Hoong Ng Trust and politics in risk communication: Discourse analysis on radio frequency (RF) exposure in Malaysia Journal of Modern Languages Risk communication, health discourse, radio frequency, politicians, trust |
| title | Trust and politics in risk communication: Discourse analysis on radio frequency (RF) exposure in Malaysia |
| title_full | Trust and politics in risk communication: Discourse analysis on radio frequency (RF) exposure in Malaysia |
| title_fullStr | Trust and politics in risk communication: Discourse analysis on radio frequency (RF) exposure in Malaysia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trust and politics in risk communication: Discourse analysis on radio frequency (RF) exposure in Malaysia |
| title_short | Trust and politics in risk communication: Discourse analysis on radio frequency (RF) exposure in Malaysia |
| title_sort | trust and politics in risk communication discourse analysis on radio frequency rf exposure in malaysia |
| topic | Risk communication, health discourse, radio frequency, politicians, trust |
| url | https://ijps.um.edu.my/index.php/JML/article/view/2965 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT prasanarosalinefernandez trustandpoliticsinriskcommunicationdiscourseanalysisonradiofrequencyrfexposureinmalaysia AT surinderpalkaur trustandpoliticsinriskcommunicationdiscourseanalysisonradiofrequencyrfexposureinmalaysia AT meililean trustandpoliticsinriskcommunicationdiscourseanalysisonradiofrequencyrfexposureinmalaysia AT kwanhoongng trustandpoliticsinriskcommunicationdiscourseanalysisonradiofrequencyrfexposureinmalaysia |