The IN3’s Communication Networks & Social Change (CNSC) research group is pleased to invite you to the online seminar: «Feminist critical discourse analysis to analyze discourses about femicide. A methodological proposal of Latin America», given by Mariana Aldrete, visiting postdoctoral researcher at CNSC group.
Venue
Online
When
13/10/2021 16.30h
Organized by
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, IN3's Communication Networks & Social Change (CNSC) research group
Program
Abstract
Femicide is the extreme of gender violence and it is the result of social structures and ideologies that discriminate the feminine gender. These are perpetuated in society through communication processes. Previous studies about the media coverage of femicide in Latin America found narratives of blaming the victims and justification of the perpetrators. Nevertheless, there are just a few studies that focused on the public discussion of the social problem. This work aims to address the gap in the literature with a methodological proposal with a holistic approach and feminist perspective. The objective of the methodology proposal is to examine how the patriarchal power is reproduced and resisted in public discourses by multiple social actors in the media coverage of femicides, in the Latin American context. To reach the overall objective the methodology has four specific objectives: 1) analyze the representation of victims and perpetrators, 2) analyze the sensationalist use of the information, 3) analyze counter discourses and how are legitimized, and 4) analyze the ruptures in the patriarchal hegemonic discourse and the negotiation of meaning through time. The methodology was applied to briefly analyze one case of femicide covered by Mexican newspapers as an example. The results showed that traditional media reproduced counter discourses: patriarchal hegemonic and feminist resistance. Nonetheless, the patriarchal hegemonic it is sustained by arguments that suggest veracity and legal expertise through the use of a scientific perspective and discursive strategies with legal technical terminology. On the other hand, the feminist resistance discourse it is sustained in emotional arguments. The above suggests the media reproduces progressive discourse; but, it contributes to subvert it, which helps to maintain the status quo and the hierarchical relations of patriarchal power.
Mariana Aldrete is a visitor researcher at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), and she holds a PhD in Media, Communication and Culture from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Her research focuses on media analysis in the topics of femicide, gender violence, migration, and social movements, by using mixed methodologies.
To take part in this seminar, please contact mgutierrezald@uoc.edu