Social Influence and Political Communication Commons^™

News Media Framing Of Gay Teen Suicide And Bullying, Averie Alese Greene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined patterns of framing in newspaper articles that mention gay teen suicide, gay bullying, and the "It Gets Better" campaign. A content analysis of randomly selected newspaper articles from 2009-2011 was performed. After presenting the frequency of content themes, emergent patterns are discussed. The most consistent theme--an evasive frame-- occurred with regard to homophobia, heterosexism, and meaningful solutions to anti-gay bullying. The day-to-day discrimination that LGBTQ people face was rarely addressed; instead, hot-button political topics such as same-sex marriage and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" were presented as signs of social progress. This research shows the importance of media …

Perception Of Profanity In Interpersonal Relationships, Ashley Pivaronas, Jessica Benham, Stephanie Melhaff

Colloquy Undergraduate Research Journal

Swearing is a form of language commonly used, yet its use is oftentimes viewed negatively in certain contexts (Johnson & Lewis, 2010). Swearing is an interesting form of expression because it is not a behavior typically taught or encouraged by authority figures (Thelwall, 2008). Hamilton (1989) emphasized the importance of examining the influence of perception of profanity usage by the receiver of the profanity, noting that perceived obscenity can differ from person to person. This study examined how gender and political orientation influence perception of profanity usage. Relationship to the user of the expletive, as well as the specific expletive …

Making Good: An Exploratory Study Of The Socialization, Identity, And Sensemaking Of Mission Trip Volunteers, Katelin Frederick

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This research explored how mission trip volunteers assume various roles throughout their volunteer experience. By seeing the various roles that emerge in mission volunteer work, the identities that they construct based upon these roles are revealed. Discovering the ways in which these roles and constructed identities affect the way that mission trip volunteers could potentially help colleges improve their recruitment messages and distinguish themselves from other institutions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain data from the participants, and the data were analyzed through a thematic, constant comparative method. Findings revealed the types of stories heard from other mission trip volunteers …

Perception Of Profanity In Interpersonal Relationships, Ashley Pivaronas, Jessica Benham, Stephanie Melhaff

Communication Studies Student Works

Swearing is a form of language commonly used, yet its use is oftentimes viewed negatively in certain contexts (Johnson & Lewis, 2010). Swearing is an interesting form of expression because it is not a behavior typically taught or encouraged by authority figures (Thelwall, 2008). Hamilton (1989) emphasized the importance of examining the influence of perception of profanity usage by the receiver of the profanity, noting that perceived obscenity can differ from person to person. This study examined how gender and political orientation influence perception of profanity usage. Relationship to the user of the expletive, as well as the specific expletive …

The Effect Of Political Advertising On Perceived Bias And Credibility Of Online News Stories, Salma M. Ayad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was an investigation of the effect of political advertising on readers’ perceived bias and credibility of an online news article based on participants’ political leanings. Media priming and the hostile media effect were the theoretical underpinnings. Participants were asked to read an unbiased news article placed alongside 3 advertisements. Participants were put into 1 of 3 conditions — right-leaning advertisements, left-leaning advertisements, or neutral advertisements. They then answered questions about the perceived bias and credibility of the article and their own political affiliation. The researchers hypothesized that left-leaning individuals would perceive the article with right-leaning advertisements as biased …

Governing Through Permanent Campaigning: Media Usage And Press Freedom In Ecuador, Maria Jose Flor Agreda

Honors College Theses

In Ecuador, media and politics have been historically tied together. Over time, the banking industry has had financial stakes in the media and vice versa. Yet, from the time that President Rafael Correa took office in 2007, the situation has been turned around. Correa has used a permanent campaign to appeal to the public and change the media ownership environment of the country. The President’s strategy has included the acquisition of private media such as newspapers, and radio and television station; as well as the establishment of governmental media entities. Additionally, as part of Correa’s permanent campaign scheme, the president …

Movementism And Party Institutionalization In Venezuela, Miguel Davila

Honors College Theses

The charismatic authority of Hugo Chávez often led analysts to affirm that the Bolivarian Revolution was dependent on his leadership. This study attempts to assess the degree of that dependence by examining whether the Bolivarian Revolution has institutionalized or not. Three variables were examined: the discourse of President Chávez, the political unity of PSUV deputies in the National Assembly, and the bypass of the electoral framework by Chávez. Two hypotheses were then formulated. The first one stipulated that the aspects of movementism found in the Bolivarian Revolution were relevant enough to disqualify it as an institutionalized system. The second one …

Content Analysis: U.S. Newspaper And Social Media Portrayal Of President Obama In Association With The Killing Of Osama Bin Laden During The 2012 Presidential Election Year, Whitney Y. Thomas

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In a broad sense, public relations is the communication between an organization and its audience. Public relations helps create and maintain a relationship between the two. When an organization experiences a success or failure public relations is put into place to help rally public support.

The intent of this thesis aims to determine the tone of President Obama in U.S. newspapers and social media in association with the capturing and killing of terrorist Osama bin Laden.

This thesis examines a variety of U.S. newspapers by region and social media. Newspaper articles related to the topic were retrieved from six regional …

A Need For Green: An Approach For Motivating Environmentally Sustainable Practices At The University Of Rhode Island, Alyssa Mason, Mary Vidal

Senior Honors Projects

“Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Meade

Colin Beavan’s No Impact Man details his yearlong experiment to live without creating any environmental impact. As sophomores we were inspired by Beavan’s journey but also skeptical of living a completely no-impact lifestyle as college-students. Although we were motivated to try to live sustainably, our efforts were dormant until our junior year. That year we decided that we would attempt to live up to the standards set forth by Beavan--understanding that some practices would be harder …

Press Freedom In The European Union And Candidate Countries: A New Regional Reality, Stephanie Benedict

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

No abstract provided.

Playing Politics With Rape: Republican Apologia In The 2012 Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization, Kelsey Deforest

Hollins Student Conference (2012-2016)

During the second half of 2012, heightened scrutiny was applied to Republican politicians’ discussion of sexual assault. This wave of interrogation, though, began too late to affect the debates over the 2012 Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization. This paper will problematize these debates by analyzing the rhetoric of self-defense used by Republican legislators in the House of Representatives to defend their VAWA Reauthorization bill. By applying a feminist critical discourse analysis to the final VAWA Reauthorization debate held on May 16, 2012, this paper shows that the actions of the Republican legislators are rooted in a desire to protect the …

President Barack Obama's Commencement Addresses: Revising The Functions Of Ceremonial Rhetoric, Milene Ortega Ribeiro

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Commencement speakers are typically expected to praise students for their achievements and motivate them for the path that is to come. When the commencement speaker is a President, however, the expectation is different. In times of rhetorical presidency, no presidential address is apolitical, and this project investigated the functions of ceremonial rhetoric in light of the rhetorical presidency doctrine. Close textual analysis of the three most controversial commencement speeches delivered by President Obama, revealed that the challenge of fulfilling the expectations of a commencement address, while also responding to rhetorical problems, required the President to adopt complex rhetorical strategies. The …

The Other September 11th: El Mercurio Media Coverage After The Chilean Coup Of 1973, Valeria A. Gurr‐Ovalle

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

This thesis provides an exploratory overview of the role the El Mercurio newspaper played along with the military after the Chilean coup of 1973. The study reviews the contents of the newspaper’s front pages, including their coverage of the events during the coup. The thesis will show how the paper revisited its coverage each year on the September 11th anniversary, beginning with the years dominated by the military government, from 1973 through 1990, and continuing through the transition to democracy, from 1991 through 2007. The primary method used in the course of this examination is a content analysis, which will …

Chieftaincy-Based Community Dispute Resolution: The Case Of Sierra Leone, Whitney Mcintyre Miller

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Sierra Leone suffered a destructive 11-year civil war that largely left its communities torn apart and in need of vast redevelopment. One of the ways that communities are rebuilding and making efforts to move forward is through the chieftaincy-based community dispute resolution process. Based on historical norms, this process involves the community leader, or chief, helping to resolve disputes within the community. This article reviews this chieftaincy-based community dispute resolution process, discusses the types of disputes settled, and provides broader lessons learned for communities who may be interested in truly community-based dispute resolution.

“La Voz De Los Sin Voz:” Teatro Político En Los Movimientos Sociales Chilenos 1973-2013, Dan Katz-Zeiger

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta investigación analiza el uso del teatro político en los dos movimientos sociales más grandes en la última siglo, el movimiento contra la dictadura desde 1973 hasta 1990 y los movimientos estudiantiles, empezando en su forma masiva en 2006 y continuando hasta hoy. Con las medias de comunicación en los manos del gobierno, a lo largo de la historia Chilena, el teatro político se usó como una herramienta para propagar una conciencia política en la gente y se hizo un vinculo entre los problemas actuales y la política del gobierno. Muchas instituciones teatrales (facultades, compañías) han existido desde el periodo …

Disease, War, And Famine In The Sudan And Haiti: A Crisis Noticed And A Crisis Ignored, Melissa Whalen

Masters Theses

The media acts as a gatekeeper and decides what material to cover and what not to cover. In order to better understand why one disaster receives media coverage and another crisis is virtually unnoticed by the media, the motives behind covering one story over another is analyzed in this study. Three major American newspaper articles concerning the Haitian earthquake and the crisis in Darfur are examined in order to discover the media's motives for covering Haiti over Darfur.

Representasi Warga Tionghoa Dan Kecinaan Dalam Media Kontemporer Indonesia, Ezmieralda Melissa

JURNAL KOMUNIKASI INDONESIA

Seiring dengan berkembangnya teknologi transportasi dan komunikasi di era globalisasi ini, proses hibriditas budayapun berlangsung dengan cepat. Di satu sisi, kondisi ini mendorong orang-orang untuk mengenal dan belajar tentang berbagai budaya yang ada dalam masyarakat modern kita. Di sisi lain, kondisi ini juga mengangkat sejumlah permasalahan penting, seperti munculnya kesalahpahaman dan diskriminasi terhadap kelompok minoritas. Sejak jatuhnya rezim Soeharto pada tahun 1998, banyak kelompok yang dulunya tertindas, termasuk etnis Tionghoa, muncul dan membuat diri mereka didengar pada era demokrasi baru bangsa ini. Seiring peraturan pemerintah baru yang memperbolehkan kelompok ini untuk mempraktikkan budaya mereka tanpa batasanbatasan tertentu, kondisi masyarakat Tionghoa …

‘Kami Juga Punya Suara’: Dunia Blogging Buruh Migran Indonesia Di Hong Kong Sebagai Politik Budaya, Pratiwi Retnaningdyah

JURNAL KOMUNIKASI INDONESIA

Buruh migran domestik merupakan sosok yang sudah lama diperdebatkan sebagai kelompok perempuan yang paling dieksploitasi dan disubordinasi dalam konteks pembagian kerja di dunia kapitalisme global. Meskipun demikian, mereka sebenarnya aktif terlibat dalam berbagai kegiatan untuk bernegosiasi dengan struktur kekuasaan di pasar kerja transnasional. Tulisan ini mengulas bagaimana dan mengapa literasi digital memiliki peranan penting dalam kiprah Buruh Migran Indonesia (BMI). Saya berargumen bahwa BMI aktif melakukan 'reverse discourse’ secara individu dan kolektif untuk memperjuangan nilai dan legitimasi BMI melalu dunia blogging. Sebagai upaya untuk merekonstruksi identitas dan memberdayakan komunitas, dunia blogging adalah politik budaya, di mana identitas buruh migran dimaknai …

Identitas Kelompok Disabilitas Dalam Media Komunitas Online: Studi Mengenai Pembentukan Pesan Identitas Disabilitas Dalam Kartunet.Com, Aulia Dwi Nastiti

JURNAL KOMUNIKASI INDONESIA

Media komunitas dapat memberikan ruang bagi kelompok yang terpinggirkan untuk membentuk pesan mereka sendiri. Melalui media komunitas Kartunet.com, sekelompok anak muda tunanetra yang tergabung dalam komunitas Kartunet berupaya mengkonstruksi identitas kelompok disabilitas dalam berbagai pesan yang mereka suarakan. Kartunet merupakan komunitas yang digerakkan oleh anak muda tunanetra untuk memberdayakan penyandang disabilitas. Penelitian ini signifkan untuk menunjukkan bagaimana media komunitas, khususnya dalam medium online, beroperasi dalam memberikan ruang bagi kelompok marjinal. Penelitian kualitatif ini menggunakan metode wawancara mendalam dan observasi semi-partisipatif ke dalam komunitas. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pembentukan identitas kelompok disabilitas merupakan proses bertahap dari identitas personal, identitas komunitas, dan …

Hasrat Untuk Mati: Eksplorasi Tema Bunuh Diri Di Tempat Umum Dalam Novel Lenka, Dewi Anggraeni

JURNAL KOMUNIKASI INDONESIA

Terinspirasi oleh sejumlah kasus bunuh diri di pusat-pusat perbelanjaan (mall) di Jakarta pada2009, 17 penulis bekerja bersama untuk menulis sebuah novel berjudul Lenka dengan menjadikan kasus bunuh diri di tempat umum sebagai tema sentral. Tulisan ini mencermati bagaimana novel sebagai salah satu wujud media terbitan (publishing media) mengeksploitasi satu bagian realitas melalui proses kreatif dan mampu menyodorkan perspektif berbeda akan motif bunuh diri di tempat umum. Selain itu, aspek-aspek fiktif dalam novel dapat dimanfaatkan untuk mencermati kompleksitas di balik kasus bunuh diri yang tidak tereksplorasi oleh media massa. Tulisan ini juga mencoba menyentuh satu isu besar berkaitan dengan upaya tiada …