Guldets roll i den sudanesiska konflikten : En kvalitativ presstudie om hur guld framställs i internationella och regionala nyhetsmedier

Sammanfattning

This study examines how the role of gold in the Sudanese conflict is portrayed in international and regional news media. The point of departure is that natural resources, particularly gold, have gained increasing economic and political importance in Sudan in recent years. At the same time, the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has raised questions about how resources are represented in relation to conflict financing, territorial control, smuggling and political power. The study is designed as a qualitative press study based on selected news articles. The material is analysed through thematic content analysis, with a particular focus on how gold is constructed as an economic resource, a source of power and a conflict-reinforcing factor. The analysis also examines which actors are made visible in the reporting and how links between gold, smuggling and the continuation of the conflict are represented. The findings show that gold is portrayed in multiple ways. It is represented as a source of conflict financing, a tool for territorial control, a commodity connected to international smuggling networks and a national economic resource. At the same time, the reporting differs between media outlets, where some emphasize economic and geopolitical dimensions while others highlight humanitarian consequences and local insecurity. The study contributes to filling a research gap concerning how the relationship between gold and armed conflict in Sudan is represented in news media. While previous research has largely examined the economic and political significance of gold in the conflict, this study focuses on how international and regional media construct and frame these connections. By comparing different media perspectives, the study provides insight into how narratives about natural resources, power and conflict are communicated to the public.