Constructions of Religion in Swedish Newspaper Articles on Funerals during the covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract This study examines the discursive construction of religion in Swedish newspaper articles on funerals during the covid -19 pandemic. Thirty articles from the six most prominent newspapers were analyzed using Multimodal cda and intersectionality. Most articles deal with religion as an institution, followed by religion as a group and individual religiosity. Religion is constructed in intersection with ethnicity and gender. The CoS is privileged, portraying Lutheran Christians as professionals. Minority religions are positioned as ‘the other’, something ‘problematic’ or ‘different’ from ‘Swedish (secular) values’ and ways of living. Migrant men and women are portrayed stereotypically. However, alternative narratives are told by well-educated and influential representatives of different minority religions, giving these religions a ‘voice’. I argue that increased religious literacy is needed among media workers if the reporting should be based on equality within and between the power categories of gender, ethnicity, and religion.