The Bangkok Blast as a finger-pointing blame game

• Changpeng Huan ^[1] ; Napak-on Sritrakarn ^[1] ; Menghan Deng ^[2]
  1. [1] Shanghai Jiao Tong University

     Shanghai Jiao Tong University

     China

     
  2. [2] Rajamangala University of Technology

     Rajamangala University of Technology

     Tailandia

     
• Localización: Journal of language and politics, ISSN 1569-2159, Vol. 20, Nº. 4, 2021, págs. 493-514
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • This article sets out to explore the potential of journalistic attitudinal positioning in dis/aligning readers into different feeling and moral communities in traumatic news event. To do so, it utilises the appraisal framework to examine how the Bangkok Post and the New York Times present and represent ‘attitude’ of different news actors in the coverage of the Bangkok Blast. Analytical findings show that while journalistic attitudinal positioning constitutes a means of political empowerment through bringing in otherwise marginal and silenced voices, it also opens up a space for journalists to evaluate risks and negotiate responsibilities. News reports of the Bangkok Blast eventually construe the Thai society as divided by representing the event as a blame game. The findings also extend the conceptual scope of symbolic codes of victims, villain and hero by resorting to attitudinal resources.