132. Name: Galiar Nizarki Title: The Arab Spring: The Representation of Revolution in the Middle East and North Africa in the Mainstream Media Institution: Halmstad University Country: Sweden Date: 2012 Language: Swedish Abstract: This study examines how the mainstream channels reported on the revolutions in Tunisia and Syria, focusing on Al Jazeera and the BBC. The aim is to compare the ways in which the two channels constructed the revolutions in order to highlight the similarities and the differences in their reporting. The study draws on various theoretical frameworks, including identity building and post-colonialism. A sample of news content from the two channels has been analyzed, using critical discourse analysis methodology. The results showed that Al Jazeera constructs the discourse on the revolution by undermining post-colonial structures. Al Jazeera takes a position against the West and its interests, as well as actors associated with the West, where Western allies are often branded as ‘the bad others’. Contrary, the BBC’s discourse constructs the revolutions through a post-colonial lens and from a post-colonial perspective. The BBC names actors in the revolution in the terms of ‘the good others” and ‘the bad others’, where the former is applied to Western allies and the latter is associated with local actors with whom the West does not have good political relations.
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