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Tweeting the Pandemic: A Qualitative Framing Analysis of Trump’s COVID-19 Twitter Activity

Abu Dayyeh, Dana Abu
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1156-5395
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1620141712045224

Abstract Details

2021, Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, Journalism (Communication).
When a message is sent out to the public what matters most is not only what is said but how it is said along with what is not being said. This process of intentionally highlighting and accentuating certain aspects in a communicating text, while negating the salience of other aspects in order to shape the recipients' understanding of an issue is referred to within the field of communication studies as framing. The most powerful frames are those offered by the president who is considered the highest-ranking member of the political elite in countries with a presidential system like the one in the US. Hence, presidential leadership during a crisis becomes more important and influential than ever. With this in mind, this paper examined what framing patterns dominated Trump’s tweeting activity about the COVID-19 pandemic from 24 January, 2020 to 8 January, 2021 with the help of a qualitative content analysis. Trump’s tweets were dominated by a cultural populist worldview that is based upon distinguishing between `us’ and `them’ and eliciting fear from the `others’. The threat of the COVID-19 pandemic was continuously undermined, while public health measures such as lockdown were portrayed through a political lens, as being more harmful than beneficial.
Jatin Srivastava (Committee Chair)
191 p.
Journalism
Framing; COVID-19; Coronavirus; Trump; Twitter

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Abu Dayyeh, D. A. (2021). Tweeting the Pandemic: A Qualitative Framing Analysis of Trump’s COVID-19 Twitter Activity [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1620141712045224

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Abu Dayyeh, Dana. Tweeting the Pandemic: A Qualitative Framing Analysis of Trump’s COVID-19 Twitter Activity. 2021. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1620141712045224.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Abu Dayyeh, Dana. "Tweeting the Pandemic: A Qualitative Framing Analysis of Trump’s COVID-19 Twitter Activity." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1620141712045224

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1620141712045224
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© 2021, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.