“Det är ett angrepp mot demokratin” : En studie om medias roll i rapporteringen om gängkriminaliteten

This bachelor thesis aims to investigate how gang criminality is framed in the four largest morning and evening newspapers in Sweden. By conducting a qualitative content analysis of 24 news articles from June 1 to August 31, 2021, the thesis aims to answer the main research question on how gang criminality is framed in Swedish media through framing, rhetorical concepts and lexical choices in the chosen news articles. The analysis reveals that gang criminality is framed as a conflict that requires responsibility from certain actors, such as politicians and the police. Through identified rhetorical concepts such as ethos, pathos and logos, the frames have been exemplified and clarified. Journalists use quotes and interviews with actors such as politicians and police in their articles as a persuasion technique to strengthen for example the seriousness of the issue of gang criminality. The lexical choices used in relation to the actors who appear in the articles are mostly positive. The purpose of the study has been maintained by contributing material that shows that gang criminality is framed as a conflict that requires a type of responsibility, which is summarized as an issue in society that requires a solution, rather than for example an economical issue, which is rather surprising since the cost of crime in society is significant. With the study's contribution to the field of knowledge about the media's portrayal of gang crime, we hope to be able to contribute to the development of the subject in future research