A Discourse Analysis of Stray Dogs Posts in an Online Community

Abstract

This study examines the discursive construction and contestation of stray dogs as a security threat within a closed Facebook community comprising Middle East Technical University (METU) students, alumni, and personnel. Utilizing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and Computer-Mediated Discourse Analysis (CMDA), it explores how stray dogs are represented, how security measures against them are justified, and how pro-stray individuals are discursively constructed. The findings reveal the centrality of anthropomorphism, appeals to nature, and narratives in securitizing stray dogs and delegitimizing their defenders. Additionally, anti-stray discourse often invokes anthropocentric empathy hierarchies and developmentalist rhetoric, portraying stray dogs as existential threats to urban safety. The study also highlights the use of irony, memes, and parodic resonance as “semiotic weapons” to ridicule pro-stray advocates. By addressing the grassroots dimensions of stray dog securitization in Turkey, this paper contributes to critical animal studies, urban sociology, and discourse analysis, bridging gaps in the existing literature.