SYMBOLIC TRAUMA AND MEDIA DISCOURSE: A SEMIOTIC READING OF ROMANIA’S DIGITAL PRESS ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE

Abstract

Objectives. This study examines the symbolic and affective dimensions of the war in Ukraine as reflected in Romania’s digital and media discourse. Beyond physical destruction, the conflict is explored as a generator of symbolic trauma and a catalyst for collective imaginaries shaped by fear, solidarity, guilt, and political polarisation. We investigate how these representations contribute to the emotional climate and public perceptions within Romanian society, particularly in the context of regional insecurity and the country’s ambivalent positioning between East and West. Material and methods. We employ a qualitative research design combining discourse analysis and semiotic decoding. The corpus consists of over 73,000 articles published by Romania’s mainstream media outlets between February 2022 and February 2023. Using semiotic and narrative tools, we decode the affective charge of images, metaphors, and symbolic tropes related to the war, with attention to how different audiences might interpret them in relation to historical memory, political affiliation, and national identity. Results. The analysis reveals two dominant symbolic axes: the spectacle of Ukrainian resistance and the trauma of civilian suffering, frequently articulated through binary oppositions such as “hero vs. aggressor” or “East vs. West.” National and religious symbols are reinterpreted as carriers of anxiety, resilience, or moral orientation. Clusters of discourse reflect distinct emotional registers, from outrage and grief to admiration and fear. Particularly salient are the ways in which institutional narratives attempt to depoliticise the conflict, while emotionally charged expressions (such as hyperbolic titles or mythologised accounts) tend to dominate attention. These findings suggest that war discourse in Romania is not only shaped by geopolitical agendas but also infused with affective intensity and symbolic contestation. Conclusions. The war in Ukraine emerges not solely as a geopolitical crisis but as a symbolic event embedded in collective memory and emotional life. Through the Romanian media ecosystem, war becomes an emotionally mediated spectacle that fuels both symbolic trauma and ideological realignment. The study proposes that symbolic and affective communication plays a crucial role in shaping public narratives, and that periods of instability are accompanied by intensified semiotic production, where myth, fear, and identity become entangled. Keywords: semiotics; cultural trauma; digital discourse; war in Ukraine; resilience; collective identity