Description
This thesis explores the unique representation of the ‘Islamic State’ in Chinese state-controlled media, contrasting the prevailing focus on Western media portrayals within existing scholarship. It acknowledges that news media in different regions generate distinct representations of terrorism, influenced by their respective media systems and ideological positions. This study specifically addresses the gap in understanding how the ‘Islamic State’ is depicted in the Chinese media landscape, governed by a communist regime.
The Chinese government perceives the ‘Islamic State’ as a threat to the country’s internal security and stability, particularly in northwestern regions such as Xinjiang. This perception is further complicated by the potential impact on China’s ambitious ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative. Given the extensive state control over China’s news media, encompassing both structure and ideological orientation, this research posits that the representation of the 'Islamic State' in Chinese media is distinctly different from Western depictions, reflective of the unique role of news in a communist context.
This study employs an instrumental approach to discourse analysis to investigate how the 'Islamic State' is portrayed in key state media outlets, namely Xinhua News Agency and CCTV.com. It combines corpus-based critical discourse analysis for textual content and visual discourse analysis for imagery, aiming to elucidate the social ideologies underlying these representations. The analysis spans the period from the declaration of the Caliphate in 2014 to the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019, tracking the evolution of the 'Islamic State' portrayal.
Three central questions guide this research: 1) How has the representation of the 'Islamic State' in Chinese state media evolved from 2014 to 2019? 2) What discursive strategies are employed by these media to shape the narrative around the 'Islamic State'? 3) To what extent do these portrayals align with China's national interests and policy goals, both domestically and internationally?
By examining both verbal and visual elements, this study aims to uncover the intricate ways in which Chinese state media navigates and constructs the narrative of terrorism, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of media representation in a communist regime.
