Terrorist eller ensam galning? : En analys av Aftonbladets och Svenska Dagbladets nyhetsrapportering om Anders Behring Breivik och Rakhmat Akilov

Sammanfattning: This study aims to survey and compare Swedish newspaper coverage relating to convicted terrorists Anders Behring Breivik and Rakhmat Akilov. The pivotal question of the study is whether this coverage differs depending on factors such as each perpetrator’s ethnicity and political beliefs. The source material has been gathered from Swedish national newspapers Aftonbladet and Svenska Dagbladet. This study has utilised a mixed research methodology consisting of a quantitative digital text analysis combined with a qualitative frame analysis. The theoretical framework of this study mainly consists of media theories such as framing (as defined by Goffman 1974, Van Gorp 2010, Shehata 2012 and more), construction of crime news and crime waves (Jewkes 2004, Fishman 1978) and news values (Häger 2014). Additionally, theories about orientalism, stereotyping, and ethnicity are applied (Dyer 1997:2006, Said 1978). Other research on the aforementioned topics is also touched upon.The quantitative part of this study has been conducted through the use of text analysis tool Textometrica. A total of 460 newspaper articles mentioning either perpetrator have been analysed. This has highlighted the framing, wording, and phraseology of said articles. The qualitative part of the study consists of an in-depth survey of frames found in a select number of these articles. It draws inspiration from frame research conducted by, among others, journalism professor Baldwin Van Gorp (2010).The results of this study show a noticeable difference in the portrayals of both perpetrators. While Aftonbladet tends to simplify stories, Svenska Dagbladet leans towards a more comprehensive coverage. In general, a certain degree of attention is given to elaborations on Behring Breivik’s personal life and youth to explain his wrongdoings. Akilov, on the other hand, is mostly just described through his foreign appearance and is more clearly conceptualised as a terrorist and as part of a larger network (the Islamic State).