Mediation discourse in safeguarding the rights of the elderly
A critical discourse analysis based on televised mediation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21620218 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Chen Cai (0000-0002-5854-5121, Zhejiang Shuren University School of Humanities and Foreign Languages, , Hangzhou), Heng HU (0000-0002-3698-8706, Zhejiang Shuren University School of Humanities and Foreign Languages, , Hangzhou) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 673-693 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-05 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Conflict Management (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1044-4068 • E-ISSN: 1758-8545 |
| Publisher | Emerald (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1108/ijcma-04-2025-0116 |
| OpenAlex | W7116667785 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 28 |
Purpose This study examines how televised mediation of family eldercare disputes contributes to grassroots governance in the context of China’s rapidly aging population. This study aims to uncover how mediators construct authority and shape filial responsibilities through discourse. Design/methodology/approach Using Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework, the study conducts a critical discourse analysis of ten televised mediation cases. It systematically analyzes discursive strategies − including nomination, argumentation, predication, perspectivization and intensification/mitigation − to reveal how legal, ethical and institutional meanings are constructed. Findings The analysis shows that mediators draw on a coordinated set of discursive strategies to construct a mode of convivial authoritarianism, integrating institutional authority with ethical affectivity. Through this discourse model, filial obligations are reframed from legal imperatives into moral duties, enabling a discursive alignment of legal norms, ethical values and governance objectives. Originality/value This study moves beyond culturally deterministic interpretations of filial piety by demonstrating how power and ideology are mediated through language in institutional interactions. It contributes a context-sensitive analytical framework for mediation discourse and provides new theoretical and methodological insights into how discourse practices support the modernization of grassroots governance in contemporary China
Corporate governance · Critical discourse analysis · Discourse analysis · Grassroots · Ideology · Mediation · Elder Abuse and Neglect · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Social Policy and Reform Studies
Discourse and Practice
Discourse as Structure and Process
A critical discourse analysis of Chinese diplomatic speeches on China-US relations
Mediation as a 21st century conflict resolution mechanism
Managing Conflict in Organizations
Adaptive Mediation and Conflict Resolution
Methods of Critical Discourse Analysis
Analysing Discourse
The Logic of Practice
Narratives of Aging and the Human Rights of Older Persons
Discourse Semantics and Ideology
Mediation, identity construction and legitimacy
Increasing mediators’ perceived responsibility
Primetime Dispute Resolution
| Citations per year | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |