Media has often been neglected as a potential asset for peacebuilding due to certain framing tendencies which are deemed to promote polarization and conflict, namely partiality, sensationalism and...Show moreMedia has often been neglected as a potential asset for peacebuilding due to certain framing tendencies which are deemed to promote polarization and conflict, namely partiality, sensationalism and simplification. Combining framing and reconciliation theories, this thesis explores whether this is indeed the case for Colombia’s reconciliation process following their 50-year long civil war. This qualitative content analysis demonstrates the capability of mainstream media to act as a friend for peace, choosing to employ the abovementioned techniques in manners that actually promote truth-telling, rule of law, and the development of mutual understanding and respect. A sole major pitfall is identified in the newspapers’ reporting approach, as they often overlook the importance of relating current developments to the root causes of the conflict. The consequent limitation of their truth-telling function produces spill-overs to other reconciliation aspects, thereby partially restricting the otherwise positive impact of media. Overall, this thesis challenges conventional narratives depicting media framing tendencies as inherently negative, and therefore opens up new possibilities for peacebuilders, transitional justice institutions, governments and the population to regard media as an ally to peace.Show less
Speciesism is the unjustified bias against someone because of their membership to a certain species. Cats and dogs, for example, are considered loveable, sentient creatures, while pigs and cows are...Show moreSpeciesism is the unjustified bias against someone because of their membership to a certain species. Cats and dogs, for example, are considered loveable, sentient creatures, while pigs and cows are considered commodities and food. Similarly, humans consider themselves above all other species. Research has shown that this unjustified bias comes to the fore in language, also referred to as speciesist language. Research also shows that capitalist industries downplay cruel actions towards animals behind (camouflaging) speciesist language and that mainstream news outlets in the US use language that maintain this status quo. However, not much research has focused on the UK and it remains unclear to what extent animalist media compares to mainstream media in terms of speciesist language. This study aims to compare the extent to which mainstream and animalist media in the UK reflect speciesist representation. To answer this research question, Critical Discourse Analysis was applied to 15 articles from a mainstream news outlet (The Guardian) and 15 articles from an animalist news outlet (Plant Based News). Findings demonstrate that there is evidence of speciesist language in both news outlets. Thus, while animalist media may be combatting speciesism, more speciesist language was found in animalist media than expected. However, Plant Based News uses speciesist language primarily when nonhumans are commodified, while The Guardian discursively portrays entire exploitative industries as humane and justified. Furthermore, results show that Plant Based News is bolder in challenging speciesism than The Guardian. Accordingly, this research indicates that mainstream news outlets such as The Guardian maintain the status quo, while there might be a positive connection between animalist media and a lower frequency of speciesist language and higher frequency of anti-speciesist language. Further research is needed to investigate this possible correlation.Show less
Over the past years, a network of alt-right media platforms has emerged online that have attracted significant popularity and readership in Western democracies. Through their antiestablishment and...Show moreOver the past years, a network of alt-right media platforms has emerged online that have attracted significant popularity and readership in Western democracies. Through their antiestablishment and right-wing ideology, these platforms have provided challenges towards trust in mainstream media and liberal democracy. Historically, populism has tended to rise during times of crisis, meaning that the outbreak of the corona pandemic provides potential new breeding ground for its idealism. To get a better picture of how these platforms operate on the Internet, this thesis aims to analyse alt-right and mainstream media coverage of the corona crisis through a comparative analysis of online news articles by the Dagelijkse Standaard and NOS in the Netherlands, and Breitbart and CNN in the United States. Through a content analysis of 842 articles, it researches media coverage by looking at the dominant crisis frames (i.e. the ‘conflict’, ‘responsibility’, ‘morality’, ‘economic-consequences’ and ‘humanitarian-interest’frame), the persons and institutions that were quoted in the texts and what the tone of the quote sand overall articles was with regard to the government’s handling of the crisis. Altogether, it concludes that there were significant differences in media coverage of the corona crisis between mainstream and alt-right media platforms. Indeed, alt-right media framed the corona crisis in more anti- or pro-establishment terms than their mainstream counterparts. This means that news consumers consulting either alt-right or mainstream media were differently informed on their governments performance, which affects their ability to hold the government accountable for its conduct and the responsiveness of the government to the public’s needs. Furthermore, the platforms’ alt-right framing of events raises the concern for the formation of “filter bubbles” that reinforce political polarization, media scepticism and gravitation towards political extremes.Show less
