Obesity in the news: language and representation in the press

Obesity is a pressing social issue and a persistently newsworthy topic for the media. This book examines the linguistic representation of obesity in the British press. It combines techniques from corpus linguistics with critical discourse studies to analyse a large corpus of newspaper articles (36 m...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Brookes, Gavin ca. 20./21. Jh (Author), Baker, Paul 1972- (Author)
Format: Electronic eBook
Language:English
Published: Cambridge Cambridge University Press 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:BSB01
UBG01
Volltext
Summary:Obesity is a pressing social issue and a persistently newsworthy topic for the media. This book examines the linguistic representation of obesity in the British press. It combines techniques from corpus linguistics with critical discourse studies to analyse a large corpus of newspaper articles (36 million words) representing ten years of obesity coverage. These articles are studied from a range of methodological perspectives, and analytical themes include variation between newspapers, change over time, diet and exercise, gender and social class. The volume also investigates the language that readers use when responding to obesity representations in the context of online comments. The authors reveal the power of linguistic choices to shame and stigmatise people with obesity, presenting them as irresponsible and morally deviant. Yet the analysis also demonstrates the potential for alternative representations which place greater focus on the role that social and political forces play in this topical health issue
Item Description:Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 26 Nov 2021)
The way in : shared keywords in the press -- Studying difference : comparing sections of the press -- Change over time -- Shaming and reclaiming -- Healthy body : diet and exercise -- Gendered discourses of obesity -- 'A disease of the poor'? Obesity and social class -- Going 'below the line' : reader responses
Physical Description:1 Online-Ressource (viii, 284 Seiten)
ISBN:9781108864732
DOI:10.1017/9781108864732

There is no print copy available.

Interlibrary loan Place Request Caution: Not in THWS collection! Get full text