Gendered framing of women politicians in South Africa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19491986 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tigere Paidamoyo Muringa (0000-0003-3773-4959, Durban University of Technology, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Political Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2673-3145 • E-ISSN: 2673-3145 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fpos.2026.1829449 |
| OpenAlex | W7163045007 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 36 |
Introduction A growing body of literature recognises the role of cultural discourse in shaping political legitimacy. Studies suggest that in many African societies, leadership remains deeply rooted in patriarchal traditions, influencing how women presidential aspirants are perceived. This study reviews news coverage of women in South African presidential elections and examines how media narratives frame female candidates as deviating from cultural norms of leadership. Specifically, the study answers two key questions: How does the press utilise cultural discourse to portray women in presidential elections? And what role does media framing play in reinforcing patriarchal norms that delegitimise women’s political authority? Methods This investigation employs a content analysis of Independent Online, using framing theory and feminist theory to analyse dominant narratives in election coverage. Results The analysis shows that media coverage invokes cultural essentialism to portray Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as “unfit to lead”, reinforcing the idea that executive leadership is a male domain and delegitimising female political authority. These narratives depict women as outsiders to traditional power structures. They portray them as unfit to lead, using cultural and historical justifications. Discussion The findings suggest that media framing functions as a tool of patriarchal gatekeeping, systematically restricting women’s political ambitions by positioning them as culturally incompatible with leadership. Addressing this bias requires critical engagement with media narratives and advocacy for inclusive representations of women in African political leadership
Essentialism · Frame analysis · Narrative · News media · Politics · Presidential system · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Gender Politics and Representation · Media Studies and Communication
Gendered times
Gender on the agenda
Power struggles
Bitchifying Hillary
Violators, virtuous, or victims? How global newspapers represent the female member of parliament
A “nasty woman”
Eternal mothers, whores or witches
We are not Ready for a ‘she’ President”
Deal me in”
Selling them Short? Differences in News Coverage of Female and Male Candidate Qualifications
Independent Online and News24 Framing of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Media power and politics in framing and discourse theory
New Institutionalism Through a Gender Lens
Harsh punisher or loving mother? A critical discursive psychological analysis of Marine Le Pen’s presidential Twitter campaign
No to Third Term! Pastoral Statement by the Church in Zimbabwe as an Indictment on President Mnangagwa's Bid to Amend the Constitution
Assessing Differences in the Framing of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump During the 2016 Presidential Election
Negotiating Access and Privilege
Semiotic Violence against Women
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |