Social Media and Conflict

A Visual Analysis of War and Peace Frames in Pakistan

Bibliographic Data

ID4182634
AuthorsShabir Hussain (0000-0002-7381-1918, Bahria University), Shahira S Fahmy (0000-0002-7720-9318, American University in Cairo, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume14
Issue4
Publication date2024-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSAGE Open (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/21582440241291627
OpenAlexW4403636789
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited36

Based on traditional peace communication scholarship, this study, embedded in journalism studies and visual politics literature, analyzes photographs of conflict using war and peace frames and explores the role social media can play in digital peacebuilding practices. A content analysis of 674 visuals of the second deadliest terrorist attack in Pakistan posted on Twitter revealed the dominance of war photographs. The majority of the visual tweets were related to the afflicted victims and the visiting elites. Our analysis revealed that the visual narrative predominantly adopted a war approach. Results also showed significant variations in the war and peace narrative over time. Overall, this study challenges the views of peace journalism scholars that social media would lead to a more peace-oriented approach. We argue that peace narratives may be difficult to occur on digital platforms in securitized national conflicts where elites and a dominant public opinion oppose alternative perspectives

Media studies · Political science · Social media · Sociology · Global Security and Public Health · Law · Psychology · Social Psychology · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence · Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research

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