Date of Award
5-1-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D. in Second Language Studies
First Advisor
Felice Coles
Second Advisor
Christiana Christodoulou
Third Advisor
Charles Joukhadar
School
University of Mississippi
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
This study examines how misogynistic discourse is linguistically and culturally constructed on X (formerly Twitter) in the Saudi context. Although progress has been made in detecting misogyny online, a significant gap remains in addressing non-Western, Arabic-speaking environments. Drawing on Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this research investigates how syntactic embedding, figurative devices, and metonymic displacement reinforce dominant gender ideologies. A dataset of over 11,000 Saudi Arabic posts was analyzed using a mixed-methods approach. Statistical modeling using mixed-effects logistic regression reveals that dehumanizing adjectives, imperatives, and figurative language are robust predictors of misogynistic intent. The analysis reveals a spectrum of linguistic strategies: figurative language portrays women as “commodities” or “interventions,” while syntactic hierarchies grammatically subordinate female agency to male primary actions. Through a combination of computational tools and deep qualitative parsing, this research identifies the subtle layers of misogyny that automated systems often overlook. Thus, this study contributes to the field by contextualizing digital misogyny within Arabic linguistic frameworks and offering a nuanced understanding of how gendered power operates in online spaces.
Recommended Citation
Alquayb, Arwa, "Online Misogyny in Saudi Arabia: A Linguistic Analysis of X Discourse" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 8795.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/8795