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Abstract

In the United States of America and the United Kingdom, the threat of right-wing extremist attacks continues to increase, which poses a significant domestic security risk. Although still a minority, women’s participation in such attacks is growing as well. The media coverage of women committing these acts of political violence still employs gender stereotypes. Using qualitative content analysis and an inductive research approach, this dissertation explores the use of gender stereotypes in reporting about women who have committed right-wing extremist attacks compared to the coverage of men involved in right-wing domestic terrorism. In a comparative analysis of two left-leaning newspapers, The Guardian (UK), and The New York Times (US), and two right-leaning newspapers, The Daily Mail (UK) and Fox News (US), this research paper shows that these newspapers still use gender stereotypes in reporting about women who have committed right-wing extremist attacks. Reviewing literature on Feminist International Relations and Feminist Media Studies focusing on political violence suggests that women continue to be associated with traditional norms of femininity in the media while being framed as victims rather than actors. To support this, this dissertation focuses on the riots at the US Capitol in January 2021, specifically the involvement of a woman, and the Kenosha Shooting in 2020. Although there are differences between each paper, this research suggests that the media still reports about women in connection with dependence on men and a lack of agency. Media coverage of men involved in right-wing extremist attacks underlines political divides and largely lacks the use of gender stereotypes. Further, gender inequality and lack of women empowerment seem to relate to the use of gender norms. To conclude, both left- and right-wing newspapers in the US and the UK continue to utilise and perpetuate gender stereotypes in the coverage of women involved in right-wing extremist attacks.

Course: International Relations - MA - P2929FTD

Date Deposited: 2024-02-02

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14353.html