ABSTRACT
Discourse analysis critically examines how language shapes social realities, power relations and structures, playing a key role in the interpretation, communication and implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The prevailing development discourse, dominated by neoliberal economic ideology, positions economic growth as the principal objective, fundamentally structuring the political frameworks and governance mechanisms that guide the pursuit of SDGs. This growth-centric orientation often marginalizes critical perspectives centred on social justice, ecological sustainability and reduction of inequality. Within the SDG discourse, competing narratives reflect an ideological contestation, with some discourses advancing transformative agendas and others reinforcing established paradigms. Employing critical discourse analysis, this entry elucidates how power dynamics shape SDG governance, determining the prioritization and operationalization of specific goals. This implies that implementing the SDGs without confronting deep-seated power asymmetries risks perpetuating existing structural inequalities, thereby limiting the potential for genuine systemic change and reinforcing rather than challenging the status quo.
