Voicing Terrorism

Terrorism and its imminent threat are a danger to societal solidarity. Nowadays, terrorism is not only present through its attacks, but part of a larger discourse of extremism, radicalization, war and religion. This study uses automatic content analysis to examine international media attention towards violent groups and whether these groups are discussed as terrorists. Using news coverage in more than 30 countries, it reveals that mediated visibility of terrorists is not only based on their attacks and media routines, but also on the political and social context of the reporting nations that actively decide to grant terrorists media access.

Runtime: 2017-2019

Funding: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), Scientific Exchanges Scheme

Participants: Prof. Dr. Mike S. Schäfer, Valerie Hase (both UZH), Prof. Dr. Lea Hellmüller, Prof. Dr. Peggy Lindner (both University of Houston)

Total Sum: 6,000 CHF