Tidningars beskrivningar av personer med funktionsnedsättning. Stereotypisering och motverkande av stereotyper i fyra svenska tidningar
(2023) SOPB63 20222School of Social Work
- Abstract
- The aim of this study was to examine how people with disabilities are described in Swedish newspapers and how these descriptions relate to the theory of stereotypes and stereotyping. Two research questions were answered: 1) How are people with disabilities described in Swedish newspapers? And 2) how do these descriptions contribute to upholding or challenging stereotypes about people with disabilities? The empirical material for this study was descriptions of people with disabilities in newspaper articles from four Swedish newspapers. A targeted selection method was used to find a sample of articles containing descriptions of people with disabilities and their abilities. The study was conducted using the method of qualitative content... (More)
- The aim of this study was to examine how people with disabilities are described in Swedish newspapers and how these descriptions relate to the theory of stereotypes and stereotyping. Two research questions were answered: 1) How are people with disabilities described in Swedish newspapers? And 2) how do these descriptions contribute to upholding or challenging stereotypes about people with disabilities? The empirical material for this study was descriptions of people with disabilities in newspaper articles from four Swedish newspapers. A targeted selection method was used to find a sample of articles containing descriptions of people with disabilities and their abilities. The study was conducted using the method of qualitative content analysis to examine the descriptions. The results were analyzed using Pickerings (2001) theoretical framework about stereotypes and stereotyping. The results showed that people with disabilities were primarily described in terms of their needs and as being dependent on others, and in terms of their abilities or lack of abilities. The stereotyping of the group could be seen in two primary ways: on the one hand as being powerless and lacking abilities, and on the other hand as superhumans capable of incredible achievements either despite their disabilities or because of them. People with disabilities were often defined by their disabilities and perceptions of them were limited to the attributes prescribed by the stereotype. Descriptions often focused on differences between people with disabilities and those without, resulting in constructions of people with disabilities as deviant. We found that language use sometimes excluded alternative interpretations of people with disabilities, reinforcing the stereotypes. In other cases, the language used was instead found to relay an openness, sometimes actively suggesting alternative interpretations which resulted in questioning and counteracting stereotypes. This relates to social work as these findings could contribute to further understanding the mechanisms of stereotyping and how to counteract it. As Pickering (2001) describes stereotyping as a way of strengthening and fixating existing power relations, the ability to counteract stereotyping would be a way of working towards equality. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9107733
- author
- Isovic, Selma LU and Falvin, Christina LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SOPB63 20222
- year
- 2023
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- People with disabilities, stereotypes, stereotyping, newspaper, language use Personer med funktionsnedsättning, stereotyper, stereotypisering, tidningar, språkanvändning
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9107733
- date added to LUP
- 2023-01-20 20:36:22
- date last changed
- 2023-01-20 20:36:22
@misc{9107733,
abstract = {{The aim of this study was to examine how people with disabilities are described in Swedish newspapers and how these descriptions relate to the theory of stereotypes and stereotyping. Two research questions were answered: 1) How are people with disabilities described in Swedish newspapers? And 2) how do these descriptions contribute to upholding or challenging stereotypes about people with disabilities? The empirical material for this study was descriptions of people with disabilities in newspaper articles from four Swedish newspapers. A targeted selection method was used to find a sample of articles containing descriptions of people with disabilities and their abilities. The study was conducted using the method of qualitative content analysis to examine the descriptions. The results were analyzed using Pickerings (2001) theoretical framework about stereotypes and stereotyping. The results showed that people with disabilities were primarily described in terms of their needs and as being dependent on others, and in terms of their abilities or lack of abilities. The stereotyping of the group could be seen in two primary ways: on the one hand as being powerless and lacking abilities, and on the other hand as superhumans capable of incredible achievements either despite their disabilities or because of them. People with disabilities were often defined by their disabilities and perceptions of them were limited to the attributes prescribed by the stereotype. Descriptions often focused on differences between people with disabilities and those without, resulting in constructions of people with disabilities as deviant. We found that language use sometimes excluded alternative interpretations of people with disabilities, reinforcing the stereotypes. In other cases, the language used was instead found to relay an openness, sometimes actively suggesting alternative interpretations which resulted in questioning and counteracting stereotypes. This relates to social work as these findings could contribute to further understanding the mechanisms of stereotyping and how to counteract it. As Pickering (2001) describes stereotyping as a way of strengthening and fixating existing power relations, the ability to counteract stereotyping would be a way of working towards equality.}},
author = {{Isovic, Selma and Falvin, Christina}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Tidningars beskrivningar av personer med funktionsnedsättning. Stereotypisering och motverkande av stereotyper i fyra svenska tidningar}},
year = {{2023}},
}