Speech as a Political Weapon:

A Pragmatic Analysis of Hate Speech in Indonesia’s Presidential Campaign

Authors

  • Moh. Gufron Rajabul Universitas Nahdlatul Wathan Mataram

Keywords:

Hate speech, Illocutionary acts, Speech Acts Theory, Political Discourse, TikTok, Indonesia 2024 Presidential Campaign

Abstract

This study examines hate speech in TikTok-based political discourse during Indonesia’s 2024 presidential campaign from a pragmatic perspective. Drawing on Speech Act Theory, the research aims to identify the types of illocutionary acts embedded in political hate speech and to explain their pragmatic and ideological functions within an algorithmically mediated digital environment. Using a qualitative discourse-pragmatic design, the study analyzes 31 hate speech utterances collected from TikTok captions and comment sections during the official campaign period. The findings reveal that all five categories of illocutionary acts—representatives, directives, commissives, expressives, and declarations—are systematically employed. Representative and directive acts dominate the discourse, functioning to construct ideological “truths” and mobilize political rejection, while expressive and commissive acts intensify affective polarization through emotional alignment and symbolic protest. Declarative acts, although less frequent, simulate institutional authority and perform ritualized political judgment. Overall, the study demonstrates that hate speech on TikTok operates as a strategic, performative form of political action that reinforces ideological polarization and reshapes political legitimacy in Indonesia’s digital public sphere.

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Published

2026-04-20

How to Cite

Rajabul, M. G. (2026). Speech as a Political Weapon: : A Pragmatic Analysis of Hate Speech in Indonesia’s Presidential Campaign. Language Horizon: Journal of Language Studies, 14(1), 1–15. Retrieved from https://ejournal.unesa.ac.id/index.php/language-horizon/article/view/74572

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Vol. 14 No. 1 (2026): April 2026

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