Operation Olive Branch
Qualitative research methods
24-03-2022
1759 words
Jake Wright
1
, Introduction
In early 2018, the Turkish military operation Olive Branch confronts the United States with a
geopolitical crisis. The developments and consequences are widely discussed in US media. In order to
investigate what kind of political game is hidden in the coverage of this crisis, a Critical Discourse
Analysis (CDA) attempts to answer the research question: “How are 'political' interests expressed in
the media in the first three weeks after Operation Olive Branch in the US in 2018?”
The practical relevance is to highlight the authority of the media as the main source of
communication. This CDA serves as a reminder to the public to remain aware of the social context
and intention during the power contest political actors play in the media during a crisis.
This analysis can contribute to the academic literature by gaining an insight into polarization
in modern society. This research shows that public perceptions towards issues, such as this military
conflict, can differ dramatically due to the difference in representation in the media.
The first section of this paper describes theories that provide insight into how a crisis influences the
political arena. The methodology then clarifies how the study was constructed. In the third section, the
analysis provides the findings needed to answer the RQ in the conclusion.
2
Qualitative research methods
24-03-2022
1759 words
Jake Wright
1
, Introduction
In early 2018, the Turkish military operation Olive Branch confronts the United States with a
geopolitical crisis. The developments and consequences are widely discussed in US media. In order to
investigate what kind of political game is hidden in the coverage of this crisis, a Critical Discourse
Analysis (CDA) attempts to answer the research question: “How are 'political' interests expressed in
the media in the first three weeks after Operation Olive Branch in the US in 2018?”
The practical relevance is to highlight the authority of the media as the main source of
communication. This CDA serves as a reminder to the public to remain aware of the social context
and intention during the power contest political actors play in the media during a crisis.
This analysis can contribute to the academic literature by gaining an insight into polarization
in modern society. This research shows that public perceptions towards issues, such as this military
conflict, can differ dramatically due to the difference in representation in the media.
The first section of this paper describes theories that provide insight into how a crisis influences the
political arena. The methodology then clarifies how the study was constructed. In the third section, the
analysis provides the findings needed to answer the RQ in the conclusion.
2
