Feminists, Freedom Fighters and Daughters - A Discourse Analysis of the United States Media’s Portrayal of the Kurdish Female Fighters in Syria

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study is to examine how the US media has portrayed the Kurdish female fighters in Syria. Since the battle of Kobane the fighters of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) have been sensationalised and received immense attention in western news media. Previous research has shown that female combatants are portrayed differently than their male counterparts, and this assumption is the foundation for the research on the representations of the YPJ. Thirteen articles from ten different newspapers in the United States were analysed through a Critical Discourse Analysis which was complemented by a framework developed by Brigitte L. Nacos. The research shows that the Female Kurdish fighters are depicted through gendered stereotypes and that there are similarities in their portrayal and depiction of illegitimate political actors. The female fighters are presented as feminists, brave, and rational while framed through their physical appearances and family connections. The analysis also reveals that there is a particular focus on the YPJ members age as well as a recurring theme in US media of trying to separate the Kurdish female fighters from the traditional western image of a Muslim woman.