Humanizing Conflicts: Media Framing of ‘Others’ and Less Visible Effects of J&K Conflict

Abstract

The study attempts to refresh the academic understanding on how often an armed conflict like Jammu and Kashmir is framed in a humane and compassionate manner by the mainstream media of the two nuclear neighboring states. A quantitative content analysis of the media coverage is carried out in terms of how frequently the perspectives of ‘Others’ and the less visible effects of conflict including the psychological, emotional and economic aspects are given media coverage. Ethnocentrism and framing approaches are employed as the theoretical foundation. The study concluded that majority of the news items published by all four selected English dailies of Pakistan and India were ‘Us’ related and covered visible aspects more frequently in comparison to the less visible aspects of J&K conflict.