This study aims to examine how Daesh constructs the enemy images of their opponents and who the opponents are.  The study adopted enemy image theories as for the theoretical base to understand how Daesh constructs and propagates these enemy images. This study is carried out on qualitative abductive desk study with discourse analysis as the method and relied on Dabiq as the primary data.  Daesh employs enemy images to effectively paint a negative image of the opponent while calling for a variety of actions from their followers. The primary data shows some concepts and themes that are used in enemy image construction being present in Dabiq. The results of of the analysis show that Daesh uses the delimitation between them and us,  a set of values that separate the two groups. This is what has been described as "our" and "their" essence and the final aim which is legitimized war or violence is very clear in Dabiq. This thesis also suggests other ways of looking at the concept of enemy images suggesting further research areas where deemed necessary.

This study aims to investigate how the mechanisms of discrimination, othering, prejudice and enemy imaging work in conflict and non-conflict zones. The study further explored if the informants stories differ when in conflict zones. Enemy images theories were used as the theoretical base to investigate how the Somali majorities construct the enemy image of the Somali minorities (The Somali Bantusand the occupational groups). The aim and research questions are answered through a comparative case study that focuses on interviewing two Somali minority groups (occupational groups and the Bantu Somalis) who have the experience and lived both in Somalia (conflict context) and Somaliland (non conflict context). The result sof the study show that the majority of Somali clans use the delimitation between “them and us” a set of values that separate the two groups and characterize the minority groups as slaves and people of low social, economic, and political status. The majority groups perceive the minority groups as a threat to their assets and corevalues. This is what has been described as "our" and "their" essence, and the final aim, which is to legitimize violence, is clear in the data. While on the other hand, the majority groups referred to themselves as superior. The results indicated that there were no differences and only similarities in the narratives of the minority groups living in both conflict and non-conflict zones. This was an interesting discovery which was against the known and expected ideal. This thesis also suggests other ways of looking at the concept of enemy images suggesting further areas of research where deemed necessary.

In 2022 Russia launched a large-scale invasion of its neighboring country Ukraine which compelled the United States to support Ukraine in its defense of the country. This created a situation with strained relations between USA and its allies in NATO on one side and Russia on the other side. This situation closely resembles the situation that the two superpowers, USA and the Soviet Union, found them selves in during a particularly hot period of the coldwar during the early 1980s. This study relies on Faircloughs critical discourse analysis to analyze speeches held by cold war leaders during the early 1980s and leaders of today during the time of the war in Ukraine. This essay then compares these leaders use of constructed images of “the other” in search of similarities and differences in these constructions. This study comes to the conclusion that only two of the four speeches contain a constructed image of “the other” as a clear enemy while the other two speeches portray “the other” in a less extreme way by presenting them as something alien to the own group. This study also shows that certain ways of portraying “the other” aren't bound to certain eras of time or side in aperiod of strained relations and polarization.

<p>Media is one of the most important gateways to the world beyond for most people. Every day we are presented with images of distant places and peoples and the events they are a part of. During the years the way these news events have been presented to the public has changed but still they create images within us of these distant places and peoples.</p><p>This paper discusses how the journalistic narrative is built up based on some theories describing media and how is used and/or uses the society it is a part of. The paper tries to answer questions on how the image of the distant places and peoples is built up, based on these theories and discussions within the journalistic community.</p><p>The process from source to print is complex. Several part takers have an interest in putting out their view of the world to the public. This creates a complex web of dependencies between the media and different groups in society. In the end the image presented is a side effect of how the journalistic text is built up, where the narrative has to be firmly rooted with individuals and places to gain acceptance with the public, and where people and places described often become artifacts, rooted in very specific events.</p>

Media is one of the most important gateways to the world beyond for most people. Every day we are presented with images of distant places and peoples and the events they are a part of. During the years the way these news events have been presented to the public has changed but still they create images within us of these distant places and peoples. This paper discusses how the journalistic narrative is built up based on some theories describing media and how is used and/or uses the society it is a part of. The paper tries to answer questions on how the image of the distant places and peoples is built up, based on these theories and discussions within the journalistic community. The process from source to print is complex. Several part takers have an interest in putting out their view of the world to the public. This creates a complex web of dependencies between the media and different groups in society. In the end the image presented is a side effect of how the journalistic text is built up, where the narrative has to be firmly rooted with individuals and places to gain acceptance with the public, and where people and places described often become artifacts, rooted in very specific events.

In this thesis the author explores the portrayal of immigrants in the USA, more specifically how immigrants were portrayed by the last three presidents; Donald J. Trump, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush. While the majority of the US society sees immigration as a strength, the attitudes towards immigration remain divided within the political blocks. By the means of a critical discourse analysis I explore in which way presidential rhetoric has portrayed immigrants, and what are the differences in how the selected presidents have led the debate on immigration. Through the concepts of the ‘Other’ and ‘enemy images, and with an application of social identity theory, the author of this thesis further discusses the processes of intergroup comparison and its effects on the relationship between immigrants and natives.

The growing number of victims as the result of increased terrorism has caused areal concern. Because many of the victims ends into mental disorders, the scholarships in this regard has increased. However, it is rare to find scholarships focusing on the attitudes held by the victims produced in line with the sufferings caused by terrorism. As usually in circumstances such as in post terrorist acts, the survivors produce negative attitudes due to the bad experiences triggered by the event which may thereby begin another cycle of violence directed towards the enemy. Therefore, to understand and to minimize the possible productions of such attitudes by the victims, actually serves the central aim of Peace and Conflict studies, which is to stop violence and promote peace. Thus, considering this issue, this research aims to understand how the survivors of terrorism perceive their attackers. In line with the aim, this study includes an interpretative case study to interview the survivors of terrorism and analyze the possible construction of enemy image in the lenses of theory enemy image. The study concluded that most of the participants consider the outgroups as different from the ingroup, especially based on religion and the outgroups are usually represented as ‘others’, the analyses confirms that participants create an enemy image, because there is not only one enemy in form of ethnic group therefore the construction of enemy image towards one group may vary in relation to the other group

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the highest-grossing film franchise that nurtures superhero stories within their narratives. However, in recent years the franchise has undergone a substantial shift in its adversary portrayal, with introducing Russian characters. Therefore, this study’s purpose is to expand the knowledge on the construction and development of Russian enemy images within the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, by focusing on three key movies: Iron Man 2 (2010), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), and Black Widow (2021). The research utilizes a diachronic case-oriented comparative design, wherein the selected movies are analyzed through a unique analytical framework, which consists of semiotic analysis and enemy images as theory. The study’s results demonstrate that the construction of enemy images in each movie resembles an ideal type and remained somewhat similar in terms of the demarcation between ‘us’ and ‘them’, and the characterization of ‘their’ essence throughout the years. However, the study’s findings indicate two developmental shifts: first, in ‘our’ character, where similarities are observed with ‘their’ violent behavior, and second with expanding ‘their’ threat from solely physical to psychological aspects as well.

This thesis examines Finnish soldiers’ experiences on the battlefield during the Winter War (1939-1940) and the Continuation War (1941-1944) through analyzing 245 war letters written by seven individuals who fought in the conflicts. A thematic data analysis approach is employed as a method to explore the narratives within these letters. The main themes expressed in the letters are identified and analyzed using the analytical framework of ”imitation of life” as presented by Povrzanović Frykman (2008) and Maček (2009), which serves as a guiding lens through which the soldiers’ representations of war are interpreted, focusing on their efforts to maintain a sense of normalcy and continuity amidst the disruptions of war. Additionally, the construction of enemy images and gender dynamics in the correspondence are analyzed. The Finnish soldiers’ letters depict a stark contrast between the brutality of war and their attempts to preserve elements of civilian life through acts of imitation, such as focusing on certain aspects of life like food and nature. Delving into the subjective experiences and emotional narratives as presented in the war letters, this thesis provides a nuanced understanding of human dimensions in wartime existence. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on soldiers’ wartime experiences and war letters, and offers insights into the complexities of war and the enduring legacies of conflict on individual and collective memory.