3: Media and knowledge production Flashcards
(8 cards)
What is discourse?
The term discourse has a general and specific definition.
In general, discourse simply means written or spoken communication or debate (Oxford Languages, 2021). However, we’re concerned with a more specific definition of discourse.
According to Healy (2014), “Discourses constitute our understanding of service user needs and shape what is regarded as ‘appropriate’ ways of understanding and responding to those needs, as well as legitimatizing some kinds of knowledge and practice while devaluing others.” (p. 4).
Discourse can be defined as:
Way of thinking manifested in language (e.g. ‘Charity’, ‘Social justice’ and ‘Welfare reform’)
Multiple assumptions are produced by discourse and produce discourse
The language and form of analysis are themselves part of the political process…social analysis is informed by social theory
Conventional conversations that channel meaning in specific directions
Shapes our thoughts, ideas, beliefs, values, identities, interactions with others and our behaviour (Cole, 2019)
Sets of ideas, values and language that produces a particular way of viewing an issue
A ‘dominant discourse
arises when a particular issue is spoken about and discussed in the same way by large parts of society, the media, and people in power. For example:
Urban areas over rural areas
Middle aged over young and older
White Australia over Indigenous Australia
Able over disabled
Think about these phrases:
“normally people live in cities and know their neighbours”;
“most people are concerned about having a job”;
“Australia is made up of migrants”;
“children should have regular contact with both their mum and dad”.
Each of these statements represent assumptions and beliefs about the world. When they are used regularly by many people, they appear to legitimise those beliefs. The alternatives, experienced by many people in society, become fringe and may be devalued.
lay knowledge
we mean ideas that are held by people who are not necessarily part of an ‘elite’ or expert academic group. This focus on scientific knowledge can be to the detriment of the lived experiences of people or our own practice wisdom.
Reading: chapter four of Althaus et al (2013)
Chapter 4: Identifying Issues
This chapter explores how policy issues are identified, constructed, and framed. It argues that policy problems don’t simply emerge on their own — they are socially and politically constructed, meaning how a problem is defined shapes what solutions are considered possible or legitimate.
Key Points:
1. What is a Policy Issue?
A policy issue is a matter that is perceived to require government attention.
It becomes a ‘problem’ when framed as something that can and should be addressed through policy.
- The Nature of Problems
Problems are not objective facts but are constructed through interpretation.
Framing is crucial — how an issue is defined influences what causes are acknowledged and which solutions are favoured.
For example, defining obesity as a personal responsibility issue leads to different policies than defining it as a public health concern.
- Sources of Policy Issues
Policy issues can emerge from:
Political processes (e.g. party platforms or electoral promises)
Public pressure (e.g. media campaigns or community advocacy)
Interest groups and stakeholders
Crises or emergencies
Internal bureaucratic agendas or reviews
Academic research and data
- Agenda Setting
Not all problems get government attention — an issue must get onto the policy agenda.
There are two main types of agendas:
Public agenda: what the community or media talk about
Governmental agenda: what officials choose to address
Getting onto the agenda often requires timing, political alignment, and advocacy.
- Framing and Narratives
Framing is how an issue is presented or understood (e.g., as an economic problem, a moral failure, or a rights issue).
Narratives are stories used to explain why the issue matters, who is responsible, and what should be done.
Powerful narratives can shape policy decisions — for example, the “deserving vs. undeserving poor” impacts welfare policies.
- Role of Values and Ideology
Identifying issues is inherently value-laden — different political ideologies will see different things as problems.
For example, a neoliberal lens may see market inefficiency as a problem, while a social democratic lens might focus on inequality.
- Tools for Problem Identification
Policymakers use tools like:
Data and evidence
Consultation and community feedback
Media and discourse analysis
Comparative analysis (looking at how other countries or states address similar issues)
Summary Insight:
Policy problems don’t just exist — they are constructed, framed, and contested. Identifying an issue is a political and interpretive act that sets the stage for what kind of policy response will be possible. Understanding who defines the problem, how, and why is critical to understanding policy development.
Getting on a governments agenda:
consensus on a problem, prospect of a solution, needs to be an appropriate issue, and the problem for whom - what are the governments ideologies etc. (page 62)
5 filters of media
The first has to do with ownership.
The second filter exposes the real role of advertising.
Third: How does the establishment manage the media?
That’s the fourth filter. When the story is inconvenient for the powers
To manufacture consent, you need an enemy - a target.
That common enemy is the fifth filter.
Media
The media plays a large part in reinforcing particular discourses, thereby making these the dominant discourses and devaluing others. Through the dissemination of particular images and words, it informs our thinking about people, social issues and ideas, even if we are not highly conscious of it doing so. Even if we like to think that we won’t believe everything we hear, just by being exposed to the constant barrage of media, we will absorb and be influenced by much of what we see and hear. It is powerful enough to make or break an individual’s reputation or to swing votes in an election.
the media is not impartial
Because of ownership, funding sources (e.g. advertising), the media elite (who is considered the ‘authority’), flak (getting access or not), and the propensity to create a common enemy (psychological tendencies toward tribalism and empathy), the people involved in media are biased; they will report on topics and in a manner that means they will have the opportunity to report again tomorrow.
