Caught in Narrative Patterns? Analysis of the Swiss News Coverage of Christians, Muslims, and Jews

Abstract

The media coverage of religious communities can have an impact on society and contribute to the manifestation of certain images in society. Since recent surveys show social tensions concerning Muslims and Jews, it is important to monitor media coverage. In this study, we investigate the images of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism in the news media. Theoretically, the approaches of framing and narrative patterns are used. The study was conducted in two steps. (1) Focus group discussions were held with members of the three religions, which showed, among other things, that all three religious groups do not feel adequately represented. (2) A quantitative content analysis of selected Swiss newspaper articles (online and print) was conducted. The results of the content analysis suggest that a different perspective is taken depending on the religious community: while Christianity is framed from an internal perspective, Judaism and Islam are framed from an external perspective.