Description
Book SynopsisThis book finds that Al-Jazeera’s coverage of Bahrain and Syria has conformed with Qatar’s foreign policy, throughout the last decade (2011-2021). Al-Jazeera Arabic adopted Qatar’s “double standards” policy in both countries in the beginning of the Arab Spring, framing Bahrain’s protests as a “sectarian movement,” while depicting the Syrian armed conflict as a legitimate “revolution” (2011-2013). The book observes that when ties between Qatar and Bahrain worsened during the 2017 Gulf crisis, Al-Jazeera Arabic has shifted its coverage from being “pro-Bahraini regime” to “pro-protesters,” focusing on violations and giving voice to activists (2014-2021). The book concludes that the lack of “Peace Journalism” framing in Al-Jazeera’s coverage of Bahrain’s uprising and Syria’s chemical weapons attacks has represented “claims” as “facts,” and justified military action against Syria. It also reveals distinctive differences between Al-Jazeera Arabic and English, with the former lacking “objective reporting standards,” and using more sectarian language than the latter.
Table of ContentsChapter 1. Why “Peace Journalism” and Why Al-Jazeera’s Coverage of Bahrain and Syria?.- Chapter 2. Al-Jazeera’s Relationship with Qatar Before, During and After the Arab Spring (1996–2021).- Chapter 3. Peace Journalism Model: Characteristics, Misconceptions and Challenges.- Chapter 4. Theoretical Framework and Research Questions.- Chapter 5. Bahrain’s Uprising: Pro-democracy Protests or Sectarian Movement?.- Chapter 6. Syria’s CWs Coverage (2013): Peace Deal or Military Action to “Punish” the Perpetrator?.- Chapter 7. Al-Jazeera’s (2011–2013) “Double Standards” Coverage of the Bahraini and Syrian Conflicts.- Chapter 8. Gulf Crisis (2014–2021): Al-Jazeera’s Dramatic Shift from Pro- to Anti-Bahraini Regime.- Chapter 9. Conclusion./
