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Framing the Pains of Others: A Peace Journalistic Perspective on How the News Media Constructs Compassion and Understanding for the Suffering of the Other

Nordvall, Pernilla LU (2010) FKVK01 20101
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This paper investigates how compassion with and understanding for the suffering of the other is constructed by the media and why certain choices are made with respect to coverage and framing. Articles published in the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter in relation to three different cases that all take place in Haiti have been surveyed by using quantitative content analysis and qualitative textual analysis. Peace journalism and compassion fatigue are the main components of the theoretical framework that has been applied to the empirical material. The study finds that there is an ambition to give a holistic coverage but that it falls back on simplifications and stereotypes when the issues become too complicated, resulting in limited... (More)
This paper investigates how compassion with and understanding for the suffering of the other is constructed by the media and why certain choices are made with respect to coverage and framing. Articles published in the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter in relation to three different cases that all take place in Haiti have been surveyed by using quantitative content analysis and qualitative textual analysis. Peace journalism and compassion fatigue are the main components of the theoretical framework that has been applied to the empirical material. The study finds that there is an ambition to give a holistic coverage but that it falls back on simplifications and stereotypes when the issues become too complicated, resulting in limited understanding and compassion fatigue. To avoid this, the media needs a greater awareness of its usage of sources and on what basis it values an item's newsworthiness. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Nordvall, Pernilla LU
supervisor
organization
course
FKVK01 20101
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
content analysis, Dagens Nyheter, news media, compassion fatigue, peace journalism, textual analysis, framing, understanding, the other, Haiti
language
English
id
1609181
date added to LUP
2010-06-29 13:12:24
date last changed
2015-12-14 13:34:37
@misc{1609181,
  abstract     = {{This paper investigates how compassion with and understanding for the suffering of the other is constructed by the media and why certain choices are made with respect to coverage and framing. Articles published in the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter in relation to three different cases that all take place in Haiti have been surveyed by using quantitative content analysis and qualitative textual analysis. Peace journalism and compassion fatigue are the main components of the theoretical framework that has been applied to the empirical material. The study finds that there is an ambition to give a holistic coverage but that it falls back on simplifications and stereotypes when the issues become too complicated, resulting in limited understanding and compassion fatigue. To avoid this, the media needs a greater awareness of its usage of sources and on what basis it values an item's newsworthiness.}},
  author       = {{Nordvall, Pernilla}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Framing the Pains of Others: A Peace Journalistic Perspective on How the News Media Constructs Compassion and Understanding for the Suffering of the Other}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}