Narratives of conflict: the language of peace in the chaos of war. On British media’s use of international law and strategic narratives during the first month of the Israel-Gaza ‘war'
Narratives of conflict: the language of peace in the chaos of war. On British media’s use of international law and strategic narratives during the first month of the Israel-Gaza ‘war'
Date
2024
Authors
Marot, Charles
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Abstract
This master’s thesis aimed to uncover perceived bias in British media coverage of the Israel-
Gaza conflict and to highlight potential double standards through a critical discourse
analysis of how selected newspapers deploy international law. An in-depth analysis of The
Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, and The Sun's coverage of the first month of the 'war,'
including October 7th, situated international law within different narrative frames. Despite
varying article types— news, opinion, or editorials—this research found that left-wing
progressive media deploy international law more frequently than right-wing
counterparts. While The Guardian systematically addresses the situation through
international law, The Daily Telegraph and The Sun favor narratives constructed through
selective contextualization, humanization, and legitimation of violence. By favoring
military-strategic narratives imbued with orientalism, these newspapers create 'alternative
legalities' that justify Israel’s actions while undermining Palestinian suffering. This raises
questions about media power in shaping perceptions and its intersection with political power.
The potential of strategic media narratives to undermine international law and legitimize
otherwise illegal actions highlights the need for critical engagement with media, especially
in the context of Israel-Palestine or other conflicts.
Description
Second semester University: University of Southern Denmark/Danish Institute for Human Rights
Keywords
press and politics,
Gaza,
Israel,
United Kingdom,
Palestine,
conflict