Women`s Representation in Death posters in Southern Iraq: A genre Based Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31185/wjfh.Vol22.Iss3/Pt3.2001Keywords:
Genre theory ,Lexical choices, social statusAbstract
This study aims to examine women`s representation in death announcement posters in Southern Iraq using critical discourse analysis, genre theory, and feminist discourse analysis. Death posters constitute a culturally significant form of everyday public discourse that reflects broader social and ideological structures. Using a qualitative approach, the study examines thirty death posters collected from four major Iraqi cities in south Iraq: Kut, Amarah ,Nasiriyah, and Basra, the study analyzes lexical choices, visual representation, and naming practices. Findings show that women are predominantly portrayed through relational roles such as “wife,” “mother,” or “daughter,” rather than as autonomous individuals. Lexical patterns associate women with moral and religious virtues, while male subjects are more commonly linked to social status and individuality. The analysis also reveals absence of female images, reflecting symbolic invisibility and norms of modesty. However, professionally titled women receive some individual recognition, indicating limited discursive shifts within this conservative sociocultural genre.
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