Medias skildring av hiv
en diskursanalytisk studie
AIDSHIVMediaDiscourse analysisIdentity constructionSocial sciencesSamhällsvetenskaperSocial Sciences
This paper aims to investigate what part Swedish media plays when it comes to portraying hiv and people infected by the virus. The study comes from articles published in Sweden's two largest daily newspapers, Dagens Nyheter and Göteborgs Posten, in 2007.By using discourse analysis we found that hiv within Sweden is described as related to riskgroups or risk behaviour and that individuals with hiv is portrayed as average people living normal lives. Except for the above described pattern, stories about so called hiv-men frequently occur. Overall, the words abroad and foreigners are reproduced in articles about individuals living with hiv or aids. When it comes to articles describing hiv abroad, aids is more in focus and people living with the virus is portrayed as innocent victims. The stigma of being infected is prominent in articles both within Sweden and abroad.The study concludes that the depiction of the virus in the newspapers, can affect the readers view of hiv and lead to a increased risk behaviour.