Abort på agendan : Hur gestaltas abortfrågan i nyhetsrapporteringen i Irland och Polen?

Ireland and Poland share a catholic and conservative history. They have recently faced oppositional developments with regards to abortion legislation, either limiting or enabling women’s rights to their bodies and health. The abortion debate is often a divisive and polarising issue. Framing of abortion is paramount for audiences’ perceptions of the issue, thereby affecting public debates and politics, making it an interesting topic for journalism studies. This study examined how Irish and Polish news framed abortion during a time when their legislations faced significant changes. This comparative case study aimed to answer the question “How is the abortion issue framed in news coverage in Poland and in Ireland?” by conducting qualitative text analysis on 12 news articles from each country. The main theoretical framework was framing theory, which was complemented by feminist theory. First, the articles were coded, thematised and summarised. Secondly, framing analysis identified problem frames, which were grouped into themes. The two results were summarised in broader frames from each country, results which facilitated a comparison, nuanced by feminist theory. This study found both similarities and differences between frames in the case studies. While framing in Ireland showed more breadth, polish framing showed signs of polarisation. However, both cases displayed positive and negative sentiments towards abortion, with a variety of stances. Although both often showed oppositional frames simultaneously, the general leaning of the polish framing demonstrated more reluctance towards abortion. Abortion on the Agenda provided deeper insight into framing of a divisive issue crucial for women’s reproductive health