Abstract

We aimed to analyze which and how representations of discourses about corruption in Brazil, publicized on Twitter, are mobilized in discursive struggles. Therefore, we use critical discourse analysis, highlighting the representational meaning of discourses and the concept of discursive struggles as operationalized in three instances. Methodologically, we delimited two corruption scandals with national repercussions and searched for statements published on Twitter during the months from August 2014 to February 2016. Thus, we collected tweets from magazines Veja and CartaCapital and users/readers who responded to these statements. We realize that Twitter currently set up in Brazil as a space for disputing the meanings of corruption marked by dynamics of naturalization, media selectivity, purging of the other, inclusion/exclusion, appointment and moral evaluation and rationalization strategies. We also note that the discourse on corruption has recently intensified, mainly due to the national party-political climate. Finally, the results indicate that the construction of corruption is the result of sense making processes inserted in social and political fields with remarkable role of the media in the construction of scandals.

Key words:
corruption; Twitter; discursive dispute; media.