Jordanian media coverage of honour crimes - an analytical study

This dissertation identifies the values highlighted by the Jordanian media in dealing with the issueof femicide (committed on pretext of honour) in Jordanian society, along with journalists and audiences'evaluation of this coverage. This study adopts a qualitative methodology using three tools: discourseanalysis, in-depth interviews, along with focus groups. The discourse analysis focuses on the verbalvisualrelationship, the hierarchy of voices and intertextuality. The data was gathered between 2013-2021 from 49 articles published by two Jordanian news websites: Khaberni and Hiber and (13) TVYouTube videos shown on the private Jordanian satellite channel "Roya TV". The analysis of this datahas been supplemented by means of interviews with (8) journalists, (2) NGOs' representatives and (15)students (in 3 focus groups) from the Middle East University, Jordan. According to Jordanian students,NGOs' representatives, and journalists, femicide is linked to patriarchy given that it is entrenched incultural patriarchy (familial, hierarchal and kinship-based). The Jordanian media draw upon civil laws,social and religious interpretations to define "honour" killings. Furthermore, the Jordanian media hasscant compassion towards the victims of rape or victims of so-called "honour killings". Regardingintertextuality, Roya TV mentions literary and legal texts to confirm that the Jordanian media remainssympathetic of the "patriarchal system" and is reproducing "patriarchal discourse".