Framing the Past, Shaping the Present: The Weaponization of Historical Narratives in News on the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict?

This chapter examines how historical narratives are framed in news coverage of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, focusing on their linguistic and argumentative deployment. Through a comparative analysis of selected Romanian- and English-language media sources, the study explores how history is invoked to construct ideological positions and reinforce national identities. Applying the Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA), it investigates how historical references and contested past events are incorporated into media discourse. By analyzing linguistic framing, predicational strategies, and argumentation techniques, the study identifies some patterns in the representation of Ukraine’s historical relationship with Russia across different media landscapes. The findings contribute to an understanding how historical discourse is adapted to fit contemporary political and ideological narratives, offering insights into the broader role of media in shaping public debates on national identity and international relations.