Yttrandefrihet eller utrikespolitik? : En diskursanalys av Muhammedkarikatyrerna i svensk dagspress

The aim of this study is to analyze the discussion on the publication of twelve caricatures of the prophet Muhammad, in two Swedish newspapers – Dagens Nyheter and Sydsvenska Dagbladet. The caricatures were originally published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, in September 2005. Even though the violent protests and attacks against Danish interests gained major media attention in Sweden few – if any – major Swedish newspapers published the caricatures. Using Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), a theory and a method that critically examines the relationship between text, the discourse practice in which text is produced and consumed, and the wider social practice, this study examines why Swedish newspapers chose not to publish any caricatures. The study concludes that the relationship between orders of discourse continuously affect, and is also affected by, Swedish media content. However, CDA cannot present the “truth” behind the decision not to publish the caricatures. It can only draw hypothetical conclusions, in which it is suggested that – due to the fact that the powers of media institutions continue to grow – the media is forced to take on a greater responsibility as a political actor. Thus, Swedish newspapers decided not to publish in order for Sweden not to become involved in that international conflict