BHUM 17A36 - Riot in the United States: The Evolution of Ideological Framings in the Media

This course examines the media's ideological framing of protest movements in the United States, exploring how language reflect those biases. By studying theoretical approaches to ideology and employing linguistic tools, students will learn to identify and analyze biased language in news narratives. Using case studies like the Stonewall riots or the Black Lives Matter protests, the course provides historical context and practical exercises to understand the evolution of media representations of demonstrations. Academic expectations: Participate in class, share your thoughts, questions and criticisms about the readings. The goal of this class is to provide you with tools to analyze ideological framing biases in newspaper articles. You are expected to work on your own and with the rest of your group to achieve that goal.

Tess FEYEN

Séminaire

English

Autumn and Spring 2024-2025

Attendance: 10% Participation to class, discussion about the readings, at-home exercices: 10% Analysis of a newspaper article (at home, choice between three articles to analyze, 1-2 pages of written expression): 20% Group oral presentation (15min, in class, 4 groups): 30% End of the year exam (1 hour, in class): 30% Copy and paste of texts coming from AI models (ex: Chat GPT) as well as plagiarism, even of a small text sample, will result in failing the exam completely (0/20). Late work policy You can come to me before the submission deadline to ask for an extension, if you are sick or if a personal matter prevented you from completing the assignment. This applies to readings for the class discussion. If you did not come to me before the submission deadline (or before class for the readings), a penalty of 3 points per day late will be applied to your work. Late arrival policy Students arriving more than 15 min late can enter the class as long as they are not disruptive when doing so. If you know you will be late for class (ex: traffic), please send me an email as soon as you can. Arriving more than 10 min late twice without prior notice will result in your attendance grade being reduced by 3 points per time late. Access to course material The Wooclap page will include class material (powerpoints, PDF of readings, links to other materials like YouTube videos and movie recommendations).

Session 1: Introduction / Course Overview / Theoretical Understandings of Ideology I In this class we will discuss the class content and its assignments. Students will be able to form groups for the oral presentations. We will also provide a brief historical evolution of the concept of ideology and its use. Readings • Kennedy, E. (1979) ‘“Ideology” from Destutt De Tracy to Marx', Journal of the History of Ideas, 40(3), pp. 353–368. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/2709242. • Arendt, H. (1953) ‘Ideology and Terror: A Novel Form of Government', The Review of Politics, 15(3), pp. 303–327. (optional) Assignments Read Kennedy (1979) before class. Session 2: Theoretical Understandings of Ideology II / Links to Discourse Analysis / Introduction to Critical Discourse Analysis I In this class we will pursue our theoretical and historical understanding of ideology. We will define political ideologies, and end by defining a notion of ideology for our own purposes. The goal of this class is to answer the students' questions about the notion of ideology, and to introduce them to its practical use in linguistics. We will also provide the historical relationship between the Frankfurt School's Critical Theory and Critical Discourse Analysis. Readings • Cook, D. (2001) ‘Adorno, ideology and ideology critique', Philosophy & Social Criticism, 27(1), pp. 1–20. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/019145370102700101. (optional) • Dijk, T.A.V. (1998) Ideology: A Multidisciplinary Approach. SAGE. Assignments Read the Introduction (p. 1-14) of Ideology. A Multidisciplinary Approach. (Van Dijk, 1998) before class. Session 3: Introduction to Critical Discourse Analysis II / Examples and Exercises This class continue the introduction to Critical Discourse Analysis in a more practical way. Students will be given exercises in class (not graded) to practice theses notions. These exercises will contain samples of newspaper articles to analyze. Readings • Fairclough, N. (1995) Media Discourse. 1st edition. Bloomsbury Academic. • Machin, D. and Mayr, A. (2023) How to Do Critical Discourse Analysis: A Multimodal Introduction. Second edition. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications Ltd. (optional but great resource) • Van Dijk, T.A. (2015) ‘Critical Discourse Analysis', in The Handbook of Discourse Analysis. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, pp. 466–485. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118584194.ch22. (optional) Assignments Read “Critical Analysis of Media Discourse” (p. 54 to 74) of Fairclough (1995) before class. Session 4: Concept of Framing / Examples and Exercises This class will introduce the importance of the concept of framing in the context of the CDA. Students will be given exercises (not graded) to practice theses notions. These exercises will contain samples of newspaper articles to analyze. We will end the class by making a summary of the notions and methodology of the CDA, to prepare them for the written assignment. Readings • Entman, R.M. (1993) ‘Framing: Toward Clarification of a Fractured Paradigm', Journal of Communication, 43(4), pp. 51–58. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1993.tb01304.x. • Hart, C. (2018) ‘Event-Frames Affect Blame Assignment and Perception of Aggression in Discourse on Political Protests: An Experimental Case Study in Critical Discourse Analysis', Applied Linguistics, 39(3), pp. 400–421. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amw017. (optional but encouraged) Assignments Read Entman (1993) and do the analysis exercises on the course webpage before class. Session 5: From the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter I This class will start by describing the historical context behind the Civil Rights Movement. We will then read and analyze one article about the Civil Rights Movements. We will end the class by discussing the research reading. Readings • Clayton, D.M. (2018) ‘Black Lives Matter and the Civil Rights Movement: A Comparative Analysis of Two Social Movements in the United States', Journal of Black Studies, 49(5), pp. 448–480. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0021934718764099. • Brown, D.K. and Mourão, R.R. (2021) ‘Protest Coverage Matters: How Media Framing and Visual Communication Affects Support for Black Civil Rights Protests', Mass Communication and Society, 24(4), pp. 576–596. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2021.1884724. (optional) Assignments Read Clayton (2018) before class. Give back your written assignment (analysis of a short newspaper article about a protest, 1-2 pages of written expression). Session 6: From the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter II This class will start by describing the historical context behind the Black Lives Matter movement. The class will have the change to share their perception of the BLM movement's treatment in the media. We will then read and analyze one article about the BLM movement. We will end the class by discussing the research reading, and compare the two movements. Readings • Brown, D.K. and Mourão, R.R. (2022) ‘No Reckoning for the Right: How Political Ideology, Protest Tolerance and News Consumption Affect Support Black Lives Matter Protests', Political Communication, 39(6), pp. 737–754. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2022.2121346. (optional but encouraged) • Reid, J.C. and Craig, M.O. (2021) ‘Is it a rally or a riot? Racialized media framing of 2020 protests in the United States', Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice, 19(3–4), pp. 291–310. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/15377938.2021.1973639. Assignments Only Reid and Craig (2021) is mandatory, but you are highly encouraged to also read Brown and Mourão (2022) before class. Session 7: Anti-War Movements I / Vietnam War This class will start by describing the historical context behind the Vietnam War. We will then read and analyze one article about the Anti-Vietnam War movement. We will end the class by discussing Screiber (1979) and the importance of protest movements in changing public opinions. Readings • Schreiber, E.M. (1976) ‘Anti-War Demonstrations and American Public Opinion on the War in Vietnam', The British Journal of Sociology, 27(2), pp. 225–236. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/590029. • RUSSO, F.D. (1971) ‘A STUDY OF BIAS IN TV COVERAGE OF THE VIETNAM WAR: 1969 AND 1970', Public Opinion Quarterly, 35(4), pp. 539–543. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1086/267949. (optional but encouraged) • Meyer, D.S. (2014) The Politics of Protest: Social Movements in America. 2nd edition. Oxford University Press. (optional) Assignments Read Schreiber (1979) as well as Russo (1971) before class. Russo (1971) is a short paper we will criticize. Group oral presentations (15 min): number 1. Session 8: Anti-War Movements II / Iraq War This class will start by describing the historical context behind the Iraq War. We will then read and analyze articles about the Anti-Iraq War movement. We will end the class by discussing our results with Hayes & Guardino (2010). Readings • Hayes, D. and Guardino, M. (2010) ‘Whose Views Made the News? Media Coverage and the March to War in Iraq', Political Communication, 27(1), pp. 59–87. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10584600903502615. Assignments Read Hayes & Guardino (2010) before class. Group oral presentations (15 min): number 2. Session 9: LGBT+ Rights Movements I / The Stonewall riots This class will start by describing the historical context behind the Stonewall riots. We will then read and analyze articles about the Stonewall riots. We will end the class by discussing the readings. Readings • Chomsky, D. and Barclay, S. (2013) ‘The Editor, the Publisher, and His Mother: The Representation of Lesbians and Gays in the New York Times', Journal of Homosexuality, 60(10), pp. 1389–1408. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2013.819196. • Armstrong, E.A. and Crage, S.M. (2006) ‘Movements and Memory: The Making of the Stonewall Myth', American Sociological Review, 71(5), pp. 724–751. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240607100502. (optional) Assignments Read Chomsky & Barclay (2013) before class. Group oral presentations (15 min): number 3. Session 10: LGBT+ Rights Movements II / Pride Parades This class will discuss the current pride parades and their treatment in the news. We will then read and analyze articles about them from politically different sources. We will end the class by discussing the reading. Readings • Cabosky, J.M. (2014) ‘Framing an LGBT organization and a movement: A critical qualitative analysis of GLAAD'S media releases', Public Relations Inquiry, 3(1), pp. 69–89. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/2046147X13519638. (optional) • Cabosky, J. and Gibson, R. (2021) ‘A Longitudinal Content Analysis of the Use of Radical and Mainstream, Pro- and Anti-LGBT Organizations as Sources in The New York Times & The Washington Post', Journal of Homosexuality, 68(3), pp. 365–388. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2019.1656031. Assignments Read Cabosky & Gibson (2021) before class. Group oral presentations (15 min): number 4. Session 11: Final exam The class will start by the final exam (1h). We will then correct the exam in class and discuss our answers. Readings No readings. Students are invited to read their notes and the class powerpoints to prepare for the exam. Assignments (In class) End of the year exam, 1h (theoretical concepts, questions about historical events we saw in class, and analysis of a modern newspaper article about a current protest). Session 12: Conclusion We will conclude about protests movements in the United States and will have an open group discussion about the implications of biases in the media. Students are invited to reflect on their own relationship to media sources (social media, movies…). Readings • Meyer, D.S. (2014) The Politics of Protest: Social Movements in America. 2nd edition. Oxford University Press. (optional) Assignments Prepare your thoughts for this concluding class. BIBLIOGRAPHY • Adorno, Theodor W. and Adorno, Theodor Wiesengrund (1981) Negative Dialectics. Reprint edition. Continuum. • Arendt, H. (1953) ‘Ideology and Terror: A Novel Form of Government', The Review of Politics, 15(3), pp. 303–327. • Armstrong, E.A. and Crage, S.M. (2006) ‘Movements and Memory: The Making of the Stonewall Myth', American Sociological Review, 71(5), pp. 724–751. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240607100502. • Brown, D.K. and Mourão, R.R. (2021) ‘Protest Coverage Matters: How Media Framing and Visual Communication Affects Support for Black Civil Rights Protests', Mass Communication and Society, 24(4), pp. 576–596. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2021.1884724. • Brown, D.K. and Mourão, R.R. (2022) ‘No Reckoning for the Right: How Political Ideology, Protest Tolerance and News Consumption Affect Support Black Lives Matter Protests', Political Communication, 39(6), pp. 737–754. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2022.2121346. • Cabosky, J. and Gibson, R. (2021) ‘A Longitudinal Content Analysis of the Use of Radical and Mainstream, Pro- and Anti-LGBT Organizations as Sources in The New York Times & The Washington Post', Journal of Homosexuality, 68(3), pp. 365–388. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2019.1656031. • Cabosky, J.M. (2014) ‘Framing an LGBT organization and a movement: A critical qualitative analysis of GLAAD'S media releases', Public Relations Inquiry, 3(1), pp. 69–89. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/2046147X13519638. • Chomsky, D. and Barclay, S. (2013) ‘The Editor, the Publisher, and His Mother: The Representation of Lesbians and Gays in the New York Times', Journal of Homosexuality, 60(10), pp. 1389–1408. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2013.819196. • Clayton, D.M. (2018) ‘Black Lives Matter and the Civil Rights Movement: A Comparative Analysis of Two Social Movements in the United States', Journal of Black Studies, 49(5), pp. 448–480. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0021934718764099. • Colton, J. et al. (1969) ‘Tangents: Tangents', 3(11,12). Available at: https://jstor.org/stable/community.28045552 (Accessed: 25 May 2024). • Cook, D. (2001) ‘Adorno, ideology and ideology critique', Philosophy & Social Criticism, 27(1), pp. 1–20. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/019145370102700101. • Dijk, T.A.V. (1998) Ideology: A Multidisciplinary Approach. SAGE. • Entman, R.M. (1993) ‘Framing: Toward Clarification of a Fractured Paradigm', Journal of Communication, 43(4), pp. 51–58. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1993.tb01304.x. • Entman, R.M. (2007) ‘Framing Bias: Media in the Distribution of Power', Journal of Communication, 57(1), pp. 163–173. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2006.00336.x. • Fairclough, N. (1995) Media Discourse. 1st edition. Bloomsbury Academic. • Hart, C. (2018) ‘Event-Frames Affect Blame Assignment and Perception of Aggression in Discourse on Political Protests: An Experimental Case Study in Critical Discourse Analysis', Applied Linguistics, 39(3), pp. 400–421. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amw017. • Hayes, D. and Guardino, M. (2010) ‘Whose Views Made the News? Media Coverage and the March to War in Iraq', Political Communication, 27(1), pp. 59–87. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10584600903502615. • Kennedy, E. (1979) ‘“Ideology” from Destutt De Tracy to Marx', Journal of the History of Ideas, 40(3), pp. 353–368. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/2709242. • Machin, D. and Mayr, A. (2023) How to Do Critical Discourse Analysis: A Multimodal Introduction. Second edition. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications Ltd. • Marx, K. and Engels, F. (2011) The German Ideology. Foreign Languages Press (Foundations). • Meyer, D.S. (2014) The Politics of Protest: Social Movements in America. 2nd edition. Oxford University Press. • Mongie, L.D. (2016) ‘Critical discourse analysis as Queer Linguistics : religious pro- and anti-LGBT equality framing and counterframing in two letters to the editor in the City Press', Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus, 49(1), pp. 23–43. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5842/49-0-664. • Myers, D.J. and Caniglia, B.S. (2004) ‘All the Rioting That's Fit to Print: Selection Effects in National Newspaper Coverage of Civil Disorders, 1968-1969', American Sociological Review, 69(4), pp. 519–543. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240406900403. • Nicolini, K.M. and Hansen, S.S. (2018) ‘Framing the Women's March on Washington: Media coverage and organizational messaging alignment', Public Relations Review, 44(1), pp. 1–10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2017.12.005. • Reid, J.C. and Craig, M.O. (2021) ‘Is it a rally or a riot? Racialized media framing of 2020 protests in the United States', Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice, 19(3–4), pp. 291–310. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/15377938.2021.1973639. • RUSSO, F.D. (1971) ‘A STUDY OF BIAS IN TV COVERAGE OF THE VIETNAM WAR: 1969 AND 1970', Public Opinion Quarterly, 35(4), pp. 539–543. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1086/267949. • Schreiber, E.M. (1976) ‘Anti-War Demonstrations and American Public Opinion on the War in Vietnam', The British Journal of Sociology, 27(2), pp. 225–236. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/590029. • Van Dijk, T.A. (2015) ‘Critical Discourse Analysis', in The Handbook of Discourse Analysis. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, pp. 466–485. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118584194.ch22.