Hassan, Hend
(2025)
Weaponising Religion: Media Framing and Its Role in Shaping Public Discourse.
Research master thesis, Master Theologie Religiewetenschappen res.
Abstract
This research examines the relationship between media and religion in wartime contexts. It
explores how the media shape narratives, influencing public perception. During war periods,
news coverage not only disseminates information but also frames its content, both explicitly
and implicitly, which can exacerbate tensions among various groups and spread a distorted
perception of religion. Using religion as a frame can alter the moral dimensions of conflicts in
the public discourse, affecting how communities perceive violence, associating it with religious
persuasions. For instance, portraying right or wrong in religiously framed narratives can
contribute to polarised cultures, often aligning religious identities with nationalistic sentiments.
Therefore, this research underscores the use of religion as a frame to cover war news through
a qualitative content analysis of the Hamas-Gaza and Ukraine-Russia wars. The results reveal
that religion was prominently used as a reason and motivation for the conflict between Hamas
and Israel. At the same time, the Ukraine-Russia war is framed as a geopolitical and
humanitarian crisis. Comparing the coverage during the first month of the two wars by the
France24 news channel, the study concludes that the media weaponise religion to shape public
perception, covering other political and economic ends.
| Type: |
Thesis
(Research master)
|
| Supervisors (RUG): |
| Supervisor | E-mail | Tutor organization | Tutor email |
|---|
| Fowler, K.A. | | Faculteit GGW, Faculteit Religie, Cultuur en Maatschappij | k.a.fowler@rug.nl |
|
| Supervisors from outside the RUG: |
| Tutor outside | E-mail | Tutor outside organization | Tutor outside email |
|---|
| Elsamni, Abdulrahman, Dr. | | Shams University | anoniem@gmail.com | | De Vita, Andrea Paula, Dr. | | Universidad del Salvador | anoniem2@gmail.com |
|
| Degree programme: |
Master Theologie Religiewetenschappen res |
| Academic year: |
2024-2025 |
| Date of delivery: |
03 Feb 2026 10:50 |
| Last modified: |
03 Feb 2026 10:50 |
| URI: |
https://rcs.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/887 |
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