The Role of Media in Shaping Rivalries: Framing Contention in the Middle East Regions

This study investigates media as a site for the construction and reconstruction of public opinion and national narratives, specifically within post-war and crisis contexts in the Middle East. It illustrates how the nature of war is not only military and political, but also media and information. In this respect, Israeli and Iranian media, to an extent, are also part of the world media and are at the center of constructing important issues like security, legitimacy and morality. Using a comparative lens with a qualitative content analysis, the dissertation explores how Israeli and Iranian media produce representations of the other through linguistic preferences, symbolic representations, and narrative discourses, which reinforce national ideologies, support foreign policy positions, and undermine out-groups. The project also deals with the growing influences of disinformation, propaganda, and digital media as ‘escalators’ or ‘de-escalators’ in regional tensions. With the aid of Entman’s (1993) framing theory, this essay reveals how media framing functions as a type of soft power, fuelling ideological polarization while creating obstacles for peace-building. Finally, it illuminates how media are strategically employed in geopolitical competitions and provides a nuanced understanding of the intricate relationships between media, war and international diplomacy.