Blaming Victims and Survivors: An Analysis of Post-Katrina Print News Coverage Export

@article{citeulike:6007793, abstract = {In few circumstances are news media more powerful than during crisis events. The purpose of this research was to document the discursive construction of individuals who experienced hurricane Katrina in post-Katrina print news coverage. Informed by a social constructionist perspective, this critical discourse analysis highlights the power of news media to shape cultural understanding of the citizens involved and, consequently, the crisis event itself. The study found that post-Katrina news depictions relied on specific rhetorical devices and semantic strategies, as well as seemingly value-free terminology (e.g., victim and survivor) to publicly discuss certain citizens involved in the event. However, such discursive construction had the rhetorical result of shifting blame onto those “victims” and “survivors.” Ultimately, the understandings perpetuated by post-Katrina media coverage about “victims” and “survivors” likely impacted the responses enacted by response agencies in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.}, author = {Justin Davis, M. and Nathaniel French, T.}, citeulike-article-id = {6007793}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10417940802219736}, doi = {10.1080/10417940802219736}, journal = {Southern Communication Journal}, keywords = {analysis, devices, media, meyers, rhetorical, studies, textual}, number = {3}, pages = {243--257}, posted-at = {2009-10-25 20:43:03}, priority = {2}, publisher = {Routledge}, title = {Blaming Victims and Survivors: An Analysis of Post-Katrina Print News Coverage}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10417940802219736}, volume = {73}, year = {2008} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:6007793 L3 - citeulike-article-id:6007793 N2 - In few circumstances are news media more powerful than during crisis events. The purpose of this research was to document the discursive construction of individuals who experienced hurricane Katrina in post-Katrina print news coverage. Informed by a social constructionist perspective, this critical discourse analysis highlights the power of news media to shape cultural understanding of the citizens involved and, consequently, the crisis event itself. The study found that post-Katrina news depictions relied on specific rhetorical devices and semantic strategies, as well as seemingly value-free terminology (e.g., victim and survivor) to publicly discuss certain citizens involved in the event. However, such discursive construction had the rhetorical result of shifting blame onto those “victims” and “survivors.” Ultimately, the understandings perpetuated by post-Katrina media coverage about “victims” and “survivors” likely impacted the responses enacted by response agencies in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. IS - 3 JF - Southern Communication Journal EP - 257 TI - Blaming Victims and Survivors: An Analysis of Post-Katrina Print News Coverage PB - Routledge VL - 73 SP - 243 KW - analysis KW - devices KW - media KW - meyers KW - rhetorical KW - studies KW - textual AU - Justin Davis, M AU - Nathaniel French, T PY - 2008/// UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10417940802219736 ER -