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Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.20901/ms.14.27.3

Gender Blindness in Mediascape: An Analysis of the Burkini-Bans’ Representation in the News Media And Readers’ Comments

Eduardo Antunes orcid id orcid.org/0000-0003-1372-8052 ; Universidade de Coimbra, Faculdade de Letras
Rita Basílio Simões ; Universidade de Coimbra, Faculdade de Letras / Centro de Estudo Socias


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Abstract

Media representations have always been seen as a site of power struggles. Often, media ‎imbalances embody layers of meaning embedded in an ethnocentric notion of history of societies and ‎depicting non-Western as subaltern identities. This research paper starts from a feminist constructionist and intersectional perspective to understand the values, beliefs and ideologies beneath narratives of ‎journalistic texts and readers’ comments. We use as a case study the Portuguese mainstream media ‎coverage of the burkini-bans in France and the readers’ comments, which were examined through critical‎ thematic analysis. Not surprisingly, while the Portuguese news media seek neutrality, readers’ comments‎ are overall highly fuelled by a variety of orientalist stereotypes against Muslim women. As equally ‎significant, there is a lack of gender-based discussion in public conversations on this issue. Thus, the ‎results reveal that the media landscape is far beyond challenging the status quo of the West’s hegemonic ‎position towards women who are perceived as Others.‎

Keywords

burkini; orientalism; feminism; media representations; Portugal

Hrčak ID:

306314

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/306314

Publication date:

20.7.2023.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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