News Media and the Social Construction of International Politics

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session and Reception
  In Interactive Paper Session: Political Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

This paper develops a theoretical framework to widen the vista of research on the interrelations between news media and international politics. Extant approaches view news media as epiphenomenal to foreign policymaking. Theories such as indexing, hegemony, and cascading activation argue that the political elite make foreign policy choices independently; the media either fail to question these choices on their own or are used to manufacture favorable public opinion. In contrast, this paper argues that the news media are a site where nations construct their identities—shared beliefs about their history, norms, values, and status in the architecture of global relations. These beliefs go on to shape foreign policy by making particular choices appear necessary or natural. The paper also parses out four analytical categories to study this relationship. This theoretical framework connects critical and cultural media theories with the constructivist paradigm in international relations.

Author

• Saif Shahin, University of Texas at Austin