Leiden University Student Repository

Chorbacher, Theresa (2015)

An Amazon for Kobane? A critical analysis of the media discourse on Rehana, a female fighter against the Islamic State

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

In this thesis, I am analyzing the online media discourse on Rehana, a female fighter aganist the Islamic State. By applying different theoretical lenses such as critical discourse analysis and semiotic analysis, I am criticially analyzing the representation of Rehana. Based on research on the representation of other female fighters, I am problematizing the effect of this representation on Rehana's agency. I argue that the media discourse on Rehana is undermining her agency by objectifying her through language and forcing her into fixed narratives informed by sexist and orientalist stereotypes instead of representing her justly.

Kurdish Fighters

Islamic State

sexist language

media analysis

female fighters

gender stereotypes

semiotic analysis

myth

Author

Chorbacher, Theresa

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Middle East

Supervisors

Batmanghelichi, K.S.

ECTS Credits

10

Language

en