POLITENESS AS STATECRAFT: A MAXQDA-ASSISTED DISCOURSE-PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF NAWAZ SHARIF’S 71ST UNGA SPEECH

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive discourse-pragmatic analysis of the diplomatic address delivered by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Utilizing MAXQDA computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software, the text was systematically categorized using Brown and Levinson’s Politeness Theory to explore how a state representative navigates acute global and regional complexities. The speech addresses key macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges, including multi-polarity, shifting power dynamics, counter-terrorism strategies, and pressing regional crises, such as the situation in Afghanistan and the Kashmir dispute. By operationalizing concepts of positive politeness, negative politeness, and Bald-on-Record Face-Threatening Acts (FTAs), this paper examines how diplomatic language balances the preservation of international rapport with the assertive articulation of national security concerns. The findings suggest that politeness strategies serve as a vital mechanism of statecraft, allowing sovereign states to voice dissent and demand justice without structurally jeopardizing diplomatic harmony.