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Större våld än nöden kräver? : Medievåldsdebatten i Sverige 1980-1995

Dalquist, Ulf LU (1998)
Abstract
This study is an attempt to analyze the social construction of media violence in the Swedish press debate 1980-1995. Altogether, 1029 articles from seven of Sweden's biggest daily and evening papers were qualitatively analyzed. Numerous claims refer to scientific 'proof' that media violence breeds personal aggression. However, a critical examination of the media effects research reveal that the alleged causal connection between violence in the media and real-life violence is the result of impaired data collection and/or improper methods of analysis.



The analysis of the different claims about media violence uses the social problems construcivist theories as a point of departure. The descriptions of the objectionable media... (More)
This study is an attempt to analyze the social construction of media violence in the Swedish press debate 1980-1995. Altogether, 1029 articles from seven of Sweden's biggest daily and evening papers were qualitatively analyzed. Numerous claims refer to scientific 'proof' that media violence breeds personal aggression. However, a critical examination of the media effects research reveal that the alleged causal connection between violence in the media and real-life violence is the result of impaired data collection and/or improper methods of analysis.



The analysis of the different claims about media violence uses the social problems construcivist theories as a point of departure. The descriptions of the objectionable media content usually has little in common with the actual films, videos and television programs available to the viewers. Claims-makers generally construct an image of the offensive media that stands in opposition to all that is considered 'good' or 'normal' — the films are described as 'brutal', 'sadist', 'racist', 'fascist' and 'sexist'.



Several rhetorical techniques are used in the construction of media violence as a social problem, e.g. metaphors, extreme case formulations, contrasting devices and consubstantiations — the claim that different phenomenon basically are one and the same, most apparent in the claim that violence and pornogragphy are the same.



Several different models for the conveying of media content to the audience, the alleged effect of this convayance and suggested actions regarding media violence are discerned. The study concludes with a summary of alternative causes as to why most people find media violence such a threatening phenomena. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Popular Abstract
Studien är ett försök att analysera den sociala konstruktionen av "medievåld" i den svenska pressdebatten 1980-1995. Totalt analyserades 1029 artiklar ur sju av Sveriges största dags- och kvällstidningar. Många artiklar refererar till vetenskapliga "bevis" att våld i medierna föder faktisk aggression. En närmare analys av medieeffektforskningen avslöjar dock att det påstådda sambandet mellan medievåld och reellt våld är resultatet av svag datainsamling och/eller tveksamma analysmetoder.

Analysen av de olika påståendena om medievåld utgår från de olika konstruktivistiska teorierna inom forskningen om sociala problem. Beskrivningarna av våldsskildringarna har i regel lite gemensamt med de faktiska... (More)
Popular Abstract
Studien är ett försök att analysera den sociala konstruktionen av "medievåld" i den svenska pressdebatten 1980-1995. Totalt analyserades 1029 artiklar ur sju av Sveriges största dags- och kvällstidningar. Många artiklar refererar till vetenskapliga "bevis" att våld i medierna föder faktisk aggression. En närmare analys av medieeffektforskningen avslöjar dock att det påstådda sambandet mellan medievåld och reellt våld är resultatet av svag datainsamling och/eller tveksamma analysmetoder.

Analysen av de olika påståendena om medievåld utgår från de olika konstruktivistiska teorierna inom forskningen om sociala problem. Beskrivningarna av våldsskildringarna har i regel lite gemensamt med de faktiska filmerna, videorna eller TV-programmen som återfinns på marknaden. Debattörerna konstruerar i allmänhet en bild av medievåldet som står i motsats till vad som uppfattas som "gott" eller "normalt" - filmerna beskrivs som "brutala", "sadistiska", "rasistiska", "fascistiska" och "sexistiska".

Ett flertal retoriska tekniker används i konstruktionen av medievåldet som ett socialt problem. t. ex. metaforer, "extreme case formulations", "contrasting devices" och konsubstantiationer - påståendet att olika fenomen i grund och botten är ett och detsamma, tydligast framträdande i påståendet av våld och pornografi är samma sak.

Flera olika modeller för överföringen av medieinnehåll till tittarna, effekterna av denna överföring och vilka åtgärder som föreslås för att komma tillrätta med medievåldet diskuteras också.

Studien avslutas med en diskussion av vilka alternativa förklaringar man kan finna till varför våld i medierna uppfattas som ett så hotande fenomen. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Professor Christie, Nils, University of Oslo
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
TV, video, social problems, media effects, media effects research, social constructivism, moral panic, claims-making, censorship, Press and communication sciences, rhetorics, Media violence, film, Journalistik, media, kommunikation
pages
258 pages
publisher
Boréa Bokförlag
defense location
Carolinasalen, Kungshuset
defense date
1998-05-28 10:15:00
external identifiers
  • other:saknas
ISBN
91-89140-01-X
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
7c9c887e-a8fb-49ab-9f34-de75866365c8 (old id 18730)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 11:33:06
date last changed
2019-09-23 10:23:05
@phdthesis{7c9c887e-a8fb-49ab-9f34-de75866365c8,
  abstract     = {{This study is an attempt to analyze the social construction of media violence in the Swedish press debate 1980-1995. Altogether, 1029 articles from seven of Sweden's biggest daily and evening papers were qualitatively analyzed. Numerous claims refer to scientific 'proof' that media violence breeds personal aggression. However, a critical examination of the media effects research reveal that the alleged causal connection between violence in the media and real-life violence is the result of impaired data collection and/or improper methods of analysis.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The analysis of the different claims about media violence uses the social problems construcivist theories as a point of departure. The descriptions of the objectionable media content usually has little in common with the actual films, videos and television programs available to the viewers. Claims-makers generally construct an image of the offensive media that stands in opposition to all that is considered 'good' or 'normal' — the films are described as 'brutal', 'sadist', 'racist', 'fascist' and 'sexist'.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Several rhetorical techniques are used in the construction of media violence as a social problem, e.g. metaphors, extreme case formulations, contrasting devices and consubstantiations — the claim that different phenomenon basically are one and the same, most apparent in the claim that violence and pornogragphy are the same.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Several different models for the conveying of media content to the audience, the alleged effect of this convayance and suggested actions regarding media violence are discerned. The study concludes with a summary of alternative causes as to why most people find media violence such a threatening phenomena.}},
  author       = {{Dalquist, Ulf}},
  isbn         = {{91-89140-01-X}},
  keywords     = {{TV; video; social problems; media effects; media effects research; social constructivism; moral panic; claims-making; censorship; Press and communication sciences; rhetorics; Media violence; film; Journalistik; media; kommunikation}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  publisher    = {{Boréa Bokförlag}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{Större våld än nöden kräver? : Medievåldsdebatten i Sverige 1980-1995}},
  year         = {{1998}},
}