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What’s the story? A cross-societal ecolinguistic analysis of digital newspaper articles reporting on the US military presence in Okinawa, Japan

Suzuki, Emma LU (2022) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20222
LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
Abstract
Social and environmental issues associated with US military presence in Okinawa have adversely affected island residents for years and requires urgent attention. However, with actors with different beliefs and values involved, the search for sustainable solutions is elusive. An ecolinguistic analysis is conducted on digital newspaper articles published in four ‘societies’ – the US, US military, Japan, and Okinawa – to examine how different societies report ‘US military presence in Okinawa’ and its societal implications. Two stories-we-live-by are identified: the security story and the justice story. The security story dominates reports in the US, while the US military and Japan report a mix of the security story and the justice story.... (More)
Social and environmental issues associated with US military presence in Okinawa have adversely affected island residents for years and requires urgent attention. However, with actors with different beliefs and values involved, the search for sustainable solutions is elusive. An ecolinguistic analysis is conducted on digital newspaper articles published in four ‘societies’ – the US, US military, Japan, and Okinawa – to examine how different societies report ‘US military presence in Okinawa’ and its societal implications. Two stories-we-live-by are identified: the security story and the justice story. The security story dominates reports in the US, while the US military and Japan report a mix of the security story and the justice story. Okinawa solely reports the justice story. Potential implications are cognitive lock-ins, hegemony and oppression, and antagonism, which could prevent societies from cooperating in finding sustainable solutions. The findings raise questions about the nature of reporting on military-related challenges across the world. (Less)
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author
Suzuki, Emma LU
supervisor
organization
course
MESM02 20222
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
sustainability science, geopolitics, environmental justice, media studies, cross-cultural studies
publication/series
Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
report number
2022:054
language
English
id
9102299
date added to LUP
2022-10-31 12:11:33
date last changed
2022-10-31 12:11:33
@misc{9102299,
  abstract     = {{Social and environmental issues associated with US military presence in Okinawa have adversely affected island residents for years and requires urgent attention. However, with actors with different beliefs and values involved, the search for sustainable solutions is elusive. An ecolinguistic analysis is conducted on digital newspaper articles published in four ‘societies’ – the US, US military, Japan, and Okinawa – to examine how different societies report ‘US military presence in Okinawa’ and its societal implications. Two stories-we-live-by are identified: the security story and the justice story. The security story dominates reports in the US, while the US military and Japan report a mix of the security story and the justice story. Okinawa solely reports the justice story. Potential implications are cognitive lock-ins, hegemony and oppression, and antagonism, which could prevent societies from cooperating in finding sustainable solutions. The findings raise questions about the nature of reporting on military-related challenges across the world.}},
  author       = {{Suzuki, Emma}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
  title        = {{What’s the story? A cross-societal ecolinguistic analysis of digital newspaper articles reporting on the US military presence in Okinawa, Japan}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}