War Reporting as Edgework: A Qualitative Analysis of Occupational Risk-Taking among German Journalists in Ukraine
(2025) CCRM20 20251Sociology
- Abstract
- This thesis explores how foreign reporters make sense of occupational risk-taking in war through the perspective of Stephen Lyng’s (1990) edgework theory. Thereby, the study builds on semi-structured, in-depth interviews with German journalists who have reported from the ongoing war against Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Although prior research has looked at the risks of war reporting, no previous studies have investigated the practices of foreign journalists at war through the lens of edgework theory. Thereby, it is critical to understand how these individuals make sense of their professional risks since they take on the dangers to foster an informed public discourse. This thesis highlights that... (More)
- This thesis explores how foreign reporters make sense of occupational risk-taking in war through the perspective of Stephen Lyng’s (1990) edgework theory. Thereby, the study builds on semi-structured, in-depth interviews with German journalists who have reported from the ongoing war against Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Although prior research has looked at the risks of war reporting, no previous studies have investigated the practices of foreign journalists at war through the lens of edgework theory. Thereby, it is critical to understand how these individuals make sense of their professional risks since they take on the dangers to foster an informed public discourse. This thesis highlights that journalists manage physical, emotional, social, material, and ethical risks at war and often rationalize their experiences to succeed in their professional role. Meanwhile, media companies shift organizational risks to the individual level and often provide little to no structural support, especially to freelancers. Navigating between societal heroization, organizational neglect, and individual risk-taking as an act of public service, these journalists operate in a liminal social space. This thesis not only contributes to the literature on journalism and risk-taking but also expands on sociological scholarship on edgework within the context of occupational risk-taking. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- Reporting from the war is one of the most dangerous forms of journalism. Still, many foreign reporters continue to work in active war zones. They often think of themselves as responsible witnesses trying to moderate between the pubic audience and the events. Prior studies have found many dangers for reporters at war, among others, physical risks like severe injury or even death. The work can also be mentally demanding and often lacks institutional support. This thesis aims to understand how foreign journalists experience, manage, and make sense of the risks they face in war. This will be investigated through the example of German journalists who have reported from the war in Ukraine since Russia’s attack on the country in 2022.
The study... (More) - Reporting from the war is one of the most dangerous forms of journalism. Still, many foreign reporters continue to work in active war zones. They often think of themselves as responsible witnesses trying to moderate between the pubic audience and the events. Prior studies have found many dangers for reporters at war, among others, physical risks like severe injury or even death. The work can also be mentally demanding and often lacks institutional support. This thesis aims to understand how foreign journalists experience, manage, and make sense of the risks they face in war. This will be investigated through the example of German journalists who have reported from the war in Ukraine since Russia’s attack on the country in 2022.
The study builds on in-depth interviews with eleven journalists and analyzes the findings through the sociological theory of edgework. Developed by Stephen Lyng (1990), this theory helps to explain the human attraction to high-risk behavior. While the concept has originally been used to look at leisure activities, recent studies have also researched work-related risk-taking through the lens of edgework. This thesis adds a feminist lens to the theory, showing that risk is not only an issue of physical safety, but also has an emotional and social layer.
Five categories of risk are highlighted in the interviews: physical, psychological, social, material, and ethical risks. The findings show that the journalists found different ways to control the risks as much as possible. Through confronting dangers, they learn skills that help them succeed in their job. Often, reporters rationalize the feelings that come with immediate danger. This seems to be a mechanism to ensure that they can perform their tasks even in the riskiest moments. On a societal level, the thesis speculates that while society celebrates the risks they take, it is also almost expected of them to put themselves in danger. Often, they cannot build on support structures because organizations shift the risk management onto them as individuals. Furthermore, the reporters increasingly struggle with a declining interest in the war, which makes it hard to perform the role of moderator.
By putting journalists’ voices front and center, this research gives insight into the personal side of war reporting. It raises broader questions about how society values those who risk their well-being to keep the public informed. In an age of growing disinformation, understanding their reality is more important than ever. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9210549
- author
- Budzinski, Marie Katharina LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- CCRM20 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- War reporting, war journalism, edgework, risk, risk-taking, risk society, occupational risk
- language
- English
- id
- 9210549
- date added to LUP
- 2025-08-26 10:21:19
- date last changed
- 2025-08-26 10:21:19
@misc{9210549,
abstract = {{This thesis explores how foreign reporters make sense of occupational risk-taking in war through the perspective of Stephen Lyng’s (1990) edgework theory. Thereby, the study builds on semi-structured, in-depth interviews with German journalists who have reported from the ongoing war against Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Although prior research has looked at the risks of war reporting, no previous studies have investigated the practices of foreign journalists at war through the lens of edgework theory. Thereby, it is critical to understand how these individuals make sense of their professional risks since they take on the dangers to foster an informed public discourse. This thesis highlights that journalists manage physical, emotional, social, material, and ethical risks at war and often rationalize their experiences to succeed in their professional role. Meanwhile, media companies shift organizational risks to the individual level and often provide little to no structural support, especially to freelancers. Navigating between societal heroization, organizational neglect, and individual risk-taking as an act of public service, these journalists operate in a liminal social space. This thesis not only contributes to the literature on journalism and risk-taking but also expands on sociological scholarship on edgework within the context of occupational risk-taking.}},
author = {{Budzinski, Marie Katharina}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{War Reporting as Edgework: A Qualitative Analysis of Occupational Risk-Taking among German Journalists in Ukraine}},
year = {{2025}},
}