DISCOURSE ANALYSIS TRENDS IN THE 21ST CENTURY: A THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL OVERVIEW

Abstract

This paper investigates the dominant trends shaping discourse analysis (DA) in the 21st century, emphasizing its expansion beyond linguistic boundaries into fields such as media studies, education, digital communication, and politics. The study surveys key theoretical developments, including the shift from structuralist and post-structuralist approaches to multimodal, critical, and digital discourse analysis. It also examines the incorporation of corpus linguistics, ethnography, and computational methods into DA research. The paper argues that DA in the contemporary era is defined by interdisciplinarity, methodological diversity, and a persistent focus on ideology, identity, and power. Drawing on current research, this study presents a comprehensive synthesis of the field's evolution, theoretical foundations, and future directions.