Boko Haram, Media and the Security Discourse

This project is built on qualitative and quantitative media content analysis. It will use a sample of Western and African newspapers in order to examine media discourse on security. This methodology employs the characteristics, substance and forms of media discourse, a technique that not only helps to better examine facts, but also to explore possible solutions. Given that media discourse is based on three main pillars, i.e. journalists, the public and politicians, the project will examine the following six issues that, although discussed exclusively in reference to Boko Haram, are pertinent to all media and political discourse.

They are:

  1. The “Them/Us” dichotomy
  2. International terrorism
  3. The State and the surveillance of its citizens
  4. The political manipulation of “patriotism”
  5. The social responsibility of the media and
  6. The modalities of a stable and durable peace.

Chercheur Principal

Alexie Tcheuyap, Université de Toronto