Abstract: 

This study presents a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of the construction of political identity 

during periods of revolutionary crisis. It examines the dichotomous representation of Muammar 

Gaddafi in February 2011 through two primary data streams: his first major public address 

following the uprising (February 22, 2011) and the contemporaneous visual and textual 

coverage in three newspapers—The Sun (UK), The Daily News (a prominent US tabloid-style 

outlet), and Alshourouq (Egypt). Employing Fairclough’s (1992) three-dimensional model of 

CDA, Halliday’s (1978) Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), and Kress and van Leeuwen’s 

(2006) grammar of visual design, the analysis reveals a profound disjuncture between Gaddafi’s 

linguistic self-fashioning and his mediated portrayal. Findings indicate that Gaddafi’s speech 

strategically deployed lexical choices, transitivity, and modality to construct identities of a 

rightful leader, paternal protector, and historical embodiment of Libya. Conversely, the selected 

newspapers, despite ideological nuances, converged on a representational framework depicting 

Gaddafi as weak, cowardly, and delegitimized, primarily through specific visual framing, 

camera angles, and captions. This study argues that the conflict between these representations 

is not merely descriptive but deeply ideological, reflecting the struggle for discursive hegemony 

during the Arab Spring, where control over narrative became a key battleground alongside 

military confrontation.

Despite the critical demand for advanced English proficiency in Libyan 

higher education, primary public schools, particularly in rural areas, have 

been neglected. This qualitative study investigates the imperative for 

implementing improved methodologies in Teaching English as a Foreign 

Language (EFL) in Libyan primary public schools, using the post-conflict 

rural municipality of Al Gwaleesh as a case study. Data were collected by 

questionnaires and classroom observations from ten teachers and ten third

year pupils. The findings reveal a systemic reliance on traditional Grammar

Translation Methods, a stark deficiency of resources (including basic 

teaching aids and ICT), and minimal student engagement. Teachers 

demonstrated limited application of Communicative Language Teaching 

(CLT) principles, focusing predominantly on rote memorization and written 

exercises. Consequently, pupils reported low motivation and a failure to 

grasp the language's practical utility. The study concludes that a 

fundamental overhaul of EFL pedagogy in Libya is urgently required, 

recommending the integration of audio-visual aids, activity-based learning, 

and 

strategic 

incorporation 

of 

Information and Communication 

Technologies (ICTs) to foster intrinsic motivation and build a sustainable 

foundation for English proficiency.

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