Metaforer och skogsbränder - En studie om hur metaforer i nyhetsmedia påverkar läsarens uppfattning om skogsbränder

Sammanfattning: Wildfires are increasing in frequency and severity, and the media often uses metaphors to describe and dramatize these events. Metaphors are a key part of how society communicates and can strongly influence perception. This thesis aimed to analyze the use of metaphors by the Swedish news media when reporting on wildfires and to examine whether the use of metaphors affect public perception of the scale and impact of the fires. The findings suggest that the media frequently portrays wildfires as having agency, often using war-related metaphors to describe their aggressiveness and resistance to control. However, the experimental survey found that the use of metaphors did not significantly influence public perception of the size and consequences of wildfires. This may be due to the fact that the survey used a text that did not include the metaphors commonly used in Swedish media, but was instead directly translated from a study made in USA. The survey did however show that women choose to evacuate to a greater extent than men do. Finally, the thesis explored the potential impact of these metaphors on the work of firefighters and other organizations involved in wildfire response. While negative framing could create challenges for organizations, metaphors may also enhance the willingness of civilians to help both with donations and voluntary work. Finally, the study suggests that further research should be made where metaphors are taken from a Swedish context to see if the results are any different.