TY - JOUR
T1 - Boko Haram in the Nigerian press
T2 - The politics of labelling
AU - Ette, Mercy
AU - Joe, Sarah
N1 - Dr Mercy Ette is a senior lecturer in the Department of Media, Journalism
and Film at the University of Huddersfield, UK. She holds a Ph.D. in
Communication Studies from the University of Leeds. Her research focuses
on journalism and conflict, media and democracy, gendered mediation, and
political communication.
Contact: University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire,
HD1 3DH, UK.
E-mail: [email protected]
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5905-8344
Sarah Joe is a doctoral student in the Department of Media, Journalism and
Film at the University of Huddersfield. Her research interests include framing
analysis, social media and political communication.
PY - 2019/3/1
Y1 - 2019/3/1
N2 - Labels shape and define public discourse. As condensational symbols, they can serve as political tools and instruments of policy due to the media’s tendency to use labels to create meaning and knowledge about political and social reality. This study examines the politics of labelling through a case study of the representation of Boko Haram in a selection of Nigerian national newspapers. Boko Haram, a transnational terrorist organization responsible for the death of over 20,000 Nigerians and the displacement of more than two million people, has been a major threat to the Nigerian state for almost a decade. Although it was originally perceived to be a domestic problem, its reach across national boundaries has extended its impact beyond Nigeria and it has now been recognized as an international threat. This article explores how labels used to frame this group in the Nigerian press echo geo-ethno polarities embedded in Nigerian politics. The study investigates the representations of Boko Haram to evaluate how the narrative about the sect has been constructed. It reveals that the dominant voices prefer labels such as terrorists and insurgents, which reflect popular understanding of the sect. Through a content analysis of a selection of national news stories, the study argues that the nature of Nigerian politics and media ecology plays a critical role in the media framing of Boko Haram.
AB - Labels shape and define public discourse. As condensational symbols, they can serve as political tools and instruments of policy due to the media’s tendency to use labels to create meaning and knowledge about political and social reality. This study examines the politics of labelling through a case study of the representation of Boko Haram in a selection of Nigerian national newspapers. Boko Haram, a transnational terrorist organization responsible for the death of over 20,000 Nigerians and the displacement of more than two million people, has been a major threat to the Nigerian state for almost a decade. Although it was originally perceived to be a domestic problem, its reach across national boundaries has extended its impact beyond Nigeria and it has now been recognized as an international threat. This article explores how labels used to frame this group in the Nigerian press echo geo-ethno polarities embedded in Nigerian politics. The study investigates the representations of Boko Haram to evaluate how the narrative about the sect has been constructed. It reveals that the dominant voices prefer labels such as terrorists and insurgents, which reflect popular understanding of the sect. Through a content analysis of a selection of national news stories, the study argues that the nature of Nigerian politics and media ecology plays a critical role in the media framing of Boko Haram.
KW - Boko Haram
KW - Nigeria
KW - Nigerian newspapers
KW - Labelling
KW - Political violence
KW - Terrorism
U2 - 10.1386/jams.11.1.65_1
DO - 10.1386/jams.11.1.65_1
M3 - Article
VL - 11
SP - 65
EP - 80
JO - Journal of African Media Studies
JF - Journal of African Media Studies
SN - 2040-199X
IS - 1
ER -
