Politiskt våld i ett polariserat medielandskap : En diskursanalys av rapportering om mordet på Charlie Kirk

Sammanfattning

This study examines how the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was portrayed in liberal and conservative American news media, with a particular focus on how language and framing contributed to the construction of meaning, victimhood, perpetratorhood, and political polarization. The study is based on a qualitative discourse analysis combined with framing theory and analyzes 61 news articles published by CNN, NBC News, Fox News, and Newsmax following the event in September 2025. The findings show that Charlie Kirk was constructed through different subject positions depending on the ideological orientation of the media outlet. Conservative media frequently portrayed him as a patriot, family man, Christian figure, and martyr for free speech, while liberal media primarily framed him as a conservative political activist. The perpetrator was similarly constructed in different ways: liberal media often humanized and depoliticized him by emphasizing his personal background and lack of political affiliation, whereas conservative media more frequently framed him as part of a broader ideological threat linked to left-wing extremism and political hatred. The analysis further demonstrates that both liberal and conservative media condemned political violence and called for national unity, although they differed in how responsibility for polarization and violence was assigned. The study concludes that news media do not merely report political violence but actively shape public understandings of democracy, morality, and political conflict through discourse and framing. The findings contribute to broader discussions on the role of media in polarized political environments and the construction of collective identities through news reporting.