Media Discourse in Times of Crisis – Catania 6-7 November 2025
The aim of the workshop is to explore how different forms of media discourse contribute to the social construction of crises, whether political, environmental, economic, or humanitarian, and how these discourses shape public perception and response. The event thus seeks to provide a space for reflection on the discursive mechanisms and rhetorical strategies employed by the media in these urgent moments of uncertainty and transformation.
Relevant topics:
- Framing and representation in crisis reporting
- The role of language in shaping public opinion
- Discourse strategies used by mainstream and social media in times of instability
- Ethical and ideological dimensions of crisis communication
- Framing and representation in crisis reporting
- The role of language in shaping public opinion
- Discourse strategies used by mainstream and social media in times of instability
- Ethical and ideological dimensions of crisis communication
- Narratives of authority, responsibility, and blame in media discourse
- Multimodal strategies in the communication of crisis (e.g. images, memes, infographics)
- The circulation of misinformation and disinformation in crisis contexts
- Comparative analyses of national or cultural discourses of crisis
- The role of metaphor and evaluative language in constructing urgency or fear
- Audience reception and participation in social media crisis discourse