Event conceptualization in news coverage of pro-life protests: A multimodal analysis of language and image

This study investigates how anti-abortion protests during 2017–2022 are represented in U.S. media through analyses of language, image, and language-image relations. Using Critical Discourse Analysis and Cognitive Linguistics, especially Cognitive Grammar and conceptual metaphor theory, it examines how the protest events are framed. Comparing left-leaning, right-leaning, and student newspapers, the analysis identifies notable differences in depictions of agency, legitimacy, and violence, reflecting each outlet’s ideological stance. While some media depict protesters as disruptive or threatening, in line with the standard protest paradigm, others depict them as principled activists. Visual elements reinforce these portrayals, contributing to consistent yet contrasting narratives of the same events. The study demonstrates how linguistic and visual cues work together to influence readers’ mental representations of protest, often reproducing ideologically oriented interpretations. These findings underscore the role of political orientation in shaping media narratives and highlight its impact on the degree to which outlets conform to or resist the protest paradigm.