Media, Myth and Terrorism A discourse-mythological analysis of the 'Blitz Spirit' in British Newspaper Responses to the July 7th Bombings

Media, Myth and Terrorism provides a rigorous case study of Blitz mythology in British newspaper responses to the July 7th bombings. Considering how the press, politicians and members of the public were caught up in popular accounts of Britain's past, Kelsey explores the ideological battleground that took place in the weeks following the bombings as the myth of the Blitz was invoked. By providing conceptual discussions of myth, discourse, and ideology, Kelsey proposes a discourse-mythological framework designed for analysing discursive constructions of mythology. In doing so, this research considers multiple recontextualisations of the Blitz myth when popular memories of 1940 recurred in 2005. Kelsey encourages readers to understand the politics of remembering by showing how popular yet inaccurate stories from the past have a significant impact on our perceptions of the present. Heroism, trauma, economics, Royalty, rituals, human rights, foreign policy, immigration and multiculturalism are just some of the topics covered across a vast landscape of stories embracing a myth from the past in order to understand the present.

Dr Darren Kelsey is Lecturer in Journalism and Discourse Studies in the School of Arts and Cultures at Newcastle University, UK. Darren's primary research interests are in the fields of journalism, media, politics, mythology, ideology, power and critical discourse studies. His research has focused on war, propaganda and mythology in media responses to terrorism. He has also written about moral storytelling during the London riots, news coverage of bankers after the financial crisis, and journalism education after the Leveson Inquiry. Darren's research interests in power and digital media have examined surveillance cultures on social media; developing and applying critical frameworks of discourse, ideology, context, and surveillance theory to analyse digital media technologies in the field of critical discourse studies. He is the founding editor of the journal, Journalism and Discourse Studies, and a co-convenor of the Newcastle Critical Discourse Group.

1. Introduction: The Politics Of Remembering And The Myth Of The Blitz
2. Journalism, Storytelling And Ideology: A Discourse-Mythological Approach
3. Media And The War On Terror
4. Statistical Analysis Of British Newspapers After The July 7th Bombings
5. London Can Take It: Wartime Defiance And 'Frontline' Heroism
6. The FTSE Fights On: Discourses Of The City, Stock Market And Economy
7. Rituals Of National Narration: The Symbolic Role Of Commemoration Events And The Royal Family
8. Discourse Of International Unity, The 'Special Relationship' And Western Foreign Policy
9. Soft Touch Justice: Blaming Human Rights And Multiculturalism
10. Conclusion: Mythologies Of The Past, Present And Future
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