Print Media, Peace Talks and CDA in Manipur

In 1997, the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak–Muivah) faction commenced peace negotiations that resulted in a bilateral ceasefire agreement. Since then, this accord has significantly impacted not only the Naga community and the state of Nagaland but also adjacent ethnic groups and regions, including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur, as well as transnational Naga populations in Myanmar. This research investigates the influence of print media and the public sphere in Manipur on shaping discussions related to the Indo–Naga peace process. Utilizing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the study explores how print media constructs, maintains, or challenges narratives of democracy and sovereignty through various linguistic and rhetorical techniques. The analysis is organized around thematic codes of Public Sphere (PS), Media Framing (MF), Discourse on Democracy and Sovereignty (DS), and Linguistic and Rhetorical Strategies, which are derived from the research questions, while emphasizing how media discourses either promote or hinder the development of a democratic public sphere in a context where sovereignty is still disputed. By examining the intersection of media, discourse, and democratic communication, this research enhances our understanding of how print journalism mediates conflict and peace in postcolonial, multi-ethnic environments.