Politicized representations of reality : A study of how left-, liberal-, and right-leaning press frame Islam and Muslims in editorials between 2010–2020

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how Muslims and Islam are portrayed on the editorial pages of Swedish traditional news media during the period 2010–2020. The study focuses in particular on the migration wave of 2014–2016 and analyzes how these portrayals change before, during, and after this period. Furthermore, it compares how Muslims and Islam are depicted in editorials from newspapers with different political orientations. The empirical material consists of 171 editorials from six Swedish newspapers: the non-aligned Social Democratic newspapers Aftonbladet and Dala-Demokraten, the non-aligned liberal newspapers Dagens Nyheter and Expressen (including Göteborgs-Tidningen), and the non-aligned Moderate newspapers Svenska Dagbladet and Barometern. The analysis is conducted using framing theory and the postcolonial concept of the Other. The analysis shows that the period 2010–2013 was characterized by defensive and protective frames of Muslims, in which discrimination was problematized while extremist minorities were also highlighted. During the migration wave of 2014–2016, the focus on extremism increased, alongside a continued protective frame. The years 2017–2020 were characterized by a continued focus on extremism, as well as an increased emphasis on integration and the relationship to the majority culture, together with a continued protective frame. The non-aligned Social Democratic newspapers displayed more inclusive and protective frames, while the non-aligned liberal newspapers combined security-oriented and protective or defensive frames. The non-aligned Moderate newspapers more frequently exhibited frames emphasizing integration and culture. Based on framing theory and the postcolonial concept of the Other, it becomes evident that different frames, over time and across newspapers with different political profiles, can influence readers’ interpretations and political communication. The complexity that emerges in the results also contributes to the existing research field.