Denna studie undersöker hur äldre kvinnor representeras i Lindex och Cellbes reklam. Äldre får sällan synas i reklam och därmed underrepresenteras en stor del av Sveriges befolkning. Lindex och Cellbes är två svenska modeföretag som strävar efter att vara både socialt hållbara och inkluderande. De båda företagen inkluderar även äldre kvinnor i sina reklamkampanjer och uppfyller därmed uppsatsens urvalskrav. En analys genomförs på textuellt och visuellt material, där vi granskar hur äldre kvinnor representeras och konstaterar vilka stereotyper som förekommer i kampanjerna. Vidare analyseras företagens hållbarhetsbeskrivningar, för att sedan ha möjlighet att dra slutsatser om social hållbarhet uppnås i respektive reklamkampanj. Uppsatsen utgår från teorierna och begreppen social hållbarhet, ålderism, representationsteorin och stereotyper. Vi använder oss av metoden multimodal diskursanalys, vilket hjälper oss att synliggöra både underliggande och uppenbara diskurser. Ålderism är den diskurs som ligger i fokus och behandlas genomgående i arbetet. Resultatet visar att Lindex och Cellbes är delvis socialt hållbara och inkluderande gällande äldre kvinnor. Inkluderandet av den äldre kvinnan påvisar en positiv jämlikhetsdiskurs, medan själva representationen av den äldre kvinnan tyder på att underliggande ålderism upprätthålls. Åldersdiskriminering påvisas främst på så sätt att den äldre kvinnan generellt sett framställs med en strävan att efterlikna den yngre kvinnliga stereotypen. Föryngringsknepen kan däremot även innebära att företagen gör ett försök att vända på stereotyperna och visa att även äldre kvinnor kan vilja bry sig om sitt utseende. Analysens resultat visar också att det finns en avsaknad av medelålderskvinnan hos Lindex och en avsaknad av mångfald hos Cellbes. Detta gör att företagens hållbarhetsbeskrivningar inte återspeglas helt i deras reklamkampanjer. / This study research how older women are represented in Lindex and Cellbes advertisements. Older people are rarely seen in advertising and thus a large part of Sweden’s population is underrepresented. Lindex and Cellbes are two Swedish fashion companies striving to be both socially sustainable and inclusive. The two companies also include older women in their advertisement campaigns and therefore meet the thesis' sampling requirements. An analysis is performed on textual and visual material, where we analyze how older women are represented and conclude what stereotypes exist in the campaigns. Further, an examination of the companies' sustainability descriptions is made to conclude whether social sustainability is achieved in each campaign. The thesis is based on the theories and concepts of social sustainability, ageism, the theory of representation, and stereotypes. We use the method multimodal discourse analysis, which helps us visualize both underlying and obvious discourses. Ageism is the discourse in focus and is described throughout the paper. Findings indicate that Lindex and Cellbes are partly socially sustainable and inclusive regarding older women. The inclusion of the older woman shows a positive discourse of equality, while the very representation of the older woman indicates that underlying ageism is maintained. Age discrimination is mainly demonstrated in such a way that the older woman is generally portrayed with an effort to pursue the younger female stereotype. To be portrayed as younger can also mean that the companies try to reverse the stereotypes, showing that also older women may want to care about their appearance. Findings also indicate that there is a lack of middle-aged women at Lindex and a lack of diversity at Cellbes. This means that the companies' sustainability descriptions are not fully reflected in their advertisement campaigns.

In Sweden, the web-TV channel Riks which is a media initiative on YouTube by nationalist political party Sweden Democrats, has gained popularity contributing to the normalization of nationalist discourses. The aim of this study is to analyze how the discursive and visual construction and representation of women on Riks are created in nationalist discourse. Investigating this issue provides insight into the values that are being promoted and their potential consequences. The study was conducted through an intersectional theory and Stuart Hall’s representation theory with a multimodal critical discourse analysis methodology. The study found that women who are assigned the category as ’immigrants’ and ’Muslim’ were portrayed as deviant, having their voices erased and overlooked while simultaneously being portrayed as victims. ’White’ women were also portrayed as victims of the ’mass immigration’, but they were distinctively assigned agency, with the role of doing something about the situation, while ’immigrant women’ were told to ’repatriate’, reflecting their role as not acceptable within the nation.

Hur bidrar reklamfilmer till att producera och reproducera klimatdiskurser i samhället? Genom att undersöka tre svenska reklamfilmer som marknadsför elbilar syftar studien till att öka förståelsen för hur reklam samspelar med allmänhetens åsikter om miljöfrågor. De aktuella bilmärkena är Kia, Volkswagen och Volvo. Utifrån teoretiska perspektiv om grön kapitalism, gröna utopier och industriell fatalism strävar studien efter att avslöja de diskurser som är aktuella i reklamfilmerna, samt att avslöja de strategier som fordonsindustrin använder för att positionera elbilar som lösning på klimatkrisen. Studien använder en kritisk multimodal diskursanalys för att analysera reklamfilmernas visuella, auditiva och textuella element. Resultaten erbjuder värdefulla insikter för marknadsförare, beslutsfattare och forskare som är intresserade av samspelet mellan reklam och hållbara diskurser, samt bidrar till fältet för miljökommunikation. / How do commercials contribute to producing and reproducing climate discourses in society? By examining three Swedish commercials that market electric cars, the study aims to increase the understanding of how advertising interacts with the public's views on environmental issues. The car brands are Kia, Volkswagen and Volvo. Based on theoretical perspectives on green capitalism, green utopias and industrial fatalism, the study aims to reveal the discourses that are embedded in the commercials, as well as to reveal the strategies that the automotive industry uses to position electric cars as a solution to the climate crisis. The study uses a critical multimodal discourse analysis to analyze the commercials' visual, auditory and textual elements. The results offer valuable insights for marketers, policy makers and researchers interested in the interplay between advertising and sustainability discourses, as well as contributing to the field of environmental communication.

In this thesis, we leverage Edgar Schein’s (1992) organizational culture framework alongside multimodal discourse analysis to identify textual and visual cues that reveal CEOs’ organizational culture mindsets. We analyze 72 LinkedIn posts from Swedish unicorn startup CEOs in 2022-2023 to explore whether the scholarly assumptions about organizational culture mindsets of successful startup leaders will be reflected in our analysis. Our findings indicate that our developed novel analytical framework effectively identifies how CEOs’ LinkedIn communication reveals their innovation, growth-oriented, visionary, equality, hierarchical and appreciation mindsets. We also discover inconsistencies between text and image communication in our data. By making the process of how CEOs implement various textual and visual tools to construct their posts explicit, we help CEOs and their stakeholders gain a better understanding of the effects of these choices and the implicit meanings that are created in this process. Finally, we open the door for further research on organizational culture mindsets that are revealed through CEO communication, contributing a new dimension to research on CEO communication on social media.

[ES] La COVID-19 ha acelerado el proceso de adaptación al trabajo telemático donde el entorno académico también ha sufrido cambios. La comunidad investigadora ha normalizado la participación en congresos a través del ordenador. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar los elementos que intervienen en el discurso oral en las comunicaciones en congresos digitales académicos para identificar los patrones de comunicación más empleados por los investigadores. Desde inicios del siglo XXI, diversos autores han explorado este género discursivo al considerarlo el homólogo oral del artículo científico. Estos mismos autores demandan más atención a los géneros orales, al considerarlos infraestudiados en comparación con los géneros académicos escritos. Para el análisis se utiliza el Análisis del Discurso Multimodal (ADM). Esta metodología entiende que, solo considerando todos los elementos del discurso se puede tener una idea global de cómo es la comunicación. De este modo, considerar únicamente lo que se dice (el lenguaje) no permite descifrar todo el significado. Por ello, los autores del ADM proponen analizar elementos del aspecto visual, el lenguaje o los gestos del orador. Entre los resultados, destaca el protagonismo de las diapositivas en el discurso, el desarrollo de un patrón para la estructura del discurso y la poca relevancia de los gestos, que apenas son percibidos por la cámara. Estos datos permiten conocer los modelos de comunicación en los congresos digitales, así como atender a los elementos más urgentes que hay que tratar para mejorar la comunicación efectiva a través del ordenador y la cámara web. / [CA] La COVID-19 ha accelerat el procés d'adaptació al treball telemàtic on l'entorn acadèmic també ha patit canvis. La comunitat investigadora ha normalitzat la participació en congressos a través de l'ordinador. L'objectiu d'aquest estudi és analitzar els elements que intervenen en el discurs oral en les comunicacions en congressos digitals acadèmics per a identificar els patrons de comunicació més utilitzats pels investigadors. Des d'inicis del segle XXI, diversos autors han explorat aquest gènere discursiu al considerar-lo l'homòleg oral de l'article científic. Aquests mateixos autors demanden més atenció als gèneres orals, en considerar-los poc estudiats en comparació amb els gèneres acadèmics escrits. Per a l'anàlisi s'utilitza l'Anàlisi del Discurs Multimodal (ADM). Aquesta metodologia entén que, només considerant tots els elements del discurs es pot tindre una idea global de com és la comunicació. D'aquesta manera, considerar únicament el que es diu (el llenguatge) no permet desxifrar tot el significat. Per això, els autors de l'ADM proposen analitzar elements com l'aspecte visual, el llenguatge o els gestos de l'orador. Entre els resultats, destaca el protagonisme de les diapositives a les comunicacions, el desenvolupament d'un patró per a l'estructura del discurs i la poca rellevància dels gestos, que a penes són percebuts per la càmera. Aquestes dades permeten conèixer els models de comunicació en els congressos digitals, així com atendre els elements més urgents que cal tractar per a millorar la comunicació efectiva a través de l'ordinador i la càmera web. / [EN] The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the adaptation to remote work, leading to significant changes in the academic environment. The academic community has normalized participation in conferences through computer screens. The aim of this study is to analyze the elements involved in oral discourse during digital conference papers to identify the communication patterns most commonly used by researchers. Since the early 21st century, several authors have explored this discursive genre, considering it the oral counterpart of scientific articles. These authors advocate for more attention to oral genres, considering them understudied in comparison to written academic genres. This study employs Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA). This methodology understands that a comprehensive understanding of communication can only be achieved by considering all elements of discourse. Merely focusing on what is said (language) does not reveal the full meaning. Therefore, MDA advocates for the analysis of visual aspects, language, and gestures of the speaker. The results highlight the prominence of slides in discourse, the development of a pattern for discourse structure, and the limited relevance of gestures, which are barely perceived by the camera. These findings provide insights into communication models in digital conferences and draw attention to the most pressing elements that need to be addressed to enhance effective communication through computers and webcams. / López Navarrete, AJ. (2024). ¿Cómo se comunica la investigación a través de la pantalla? Análisis del discurso multimodal en las comunicaciones en congresos digitales en el área de comunicación [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/202718

During the last decade, the Swedish Armed Forces have been struggling to achieve recruitment goals and to retain military personnel. To attract more people to join the agency, and to increase the knowledge about the agency’s role and function in society, the Swedish Armed Forces continuously run campaigns. Furthermore, the Swedish Armed Forces is a government agency with a mission that is determined by the Swedish government through government decisions. It can therefore be argued that it is important that the campaigns portray the agency’s mission in a correct and truthful way. The purpose of this study has been to investigate how the Swedish Armed Forces portray their mission in their campaign films, and to what extent it corresponds with the agency’s official mission. The research questions are thereby: (1) How is the mission of the Swedish Armed Forces portrayed in two campaign films from 2018 and 2020? (2) To what extent does the Swedish Armed Forces' communication about the agency's mission correspond with their official mission presented in the government decision? (3) Based on identified semiotic resources, and with a neo-institutional perspective on strategic communication, what type of communication has been allowed to take place in the Swedish Armed Forces' campaign films? To answer the research questions, a qualitative data analysis was conducted on a government decision constituting the overall direction of the Swedish Armed Forces, and a multimodal critical discourse analysis was conducted on two campaign films produced by the agency The results were compared, and analyzed through the lens of a neo-institutional perspective on strategic communication. In summary, it can be stated that the study finds that the Swedish Armed Forces, in the two campaign films, portray their mission in a way that greatly corresponds with their official mission as presented in the government decision.

Denna studie ämnar belysa hur svarta män framställs i film och vilka attityder dessa män har mot varandra. Uppsatsen undersöker hur aggressivitet och femininitet tar sig uttryck i den Oscarbelönade filmen Moonlight (2016) och vilka stereotyper som framkommer hos männen i filmen. Eftersom filmen behandlar homosexualitet i ett socioekonomiskt lågt område ämnar studien undersöka attityden gentemot homosexualitet och hur huvudkaraktären lever ett liv som homosexuell man. Teorier som används för att kunna undersöka aggressivitet och femininitet i filmen är heteronormativitet, representationsteori och stereotyper samt maskulinitet och hegemoni som hjälper oss titta djupare på aggressiviteten. Utifrån en multimodal diskursanalys har vi med hjälp av lexikala val, värdeladdade ord och paralingvistisk kommunikation studerat filmen och valt ut scener som belyser det som vi ämnar undersöka. Analysen visade att aggressivitet uttrycktes både verbalt och fysiskt, samt att det skedde en maktordning bland de manliga karaktärerna i filmen. De som faller innanför den heterosexuella ramen blir inte utsatta för samma våld och aggression som homosexuella män. Femininitet är ett genomgående tema i filmen som visade sig främst hos den homosexuella huvudkaraktären. Det syntes utifrån sårbarhet och att vara öppen med sina känslor. / This study aims to illustrate how Black men are depicted in film and what attitudes these men have towards each other. The study examines how aggressiveness and femininity is expressed in the Oscar awarded film Moonlight (2016) and what stereotypes that are emerging among the men in the film. Since the film includes homosexuality in a socio-economically low area, this study aims to look at attitudes towards homosexuality and how the main character is living a life as a homosexual man. Theories that have been used to examine aggressiveness and femininity are heteronormativity, representation theory and stereotypes as well as masculinity and hegemony that helps us look further into the aggressiveness. Based on a multimodal discourse analysis, we have used lexical choices, valued words, and paralinguistic communication to study the film and chose scenes that illustrate the aim of this study. The analysis showed that aggressiveness was expressed verbally and physically, and that there was a power structure among the male characters in the film. The ones falling within the heterosexual frame are not being exposed to the same amount of violence and aggression as the homosexual men. Femininity is a thoroughgoingly theme in the film and was shown mostly by the homosexual main character. It was shown by vulnerability and by expressing emotions.

This classroom ethnography documents the developing critical literacy pedagogy of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) instructor over the course of several terms. My research, which involved extensive collaboration with the EAP instructor, explores how specific classroom practices and discourses are enacted and mediated through dialogic intertextualities, material objects, and social actions that frame representations about language, literacy, and what Lefebvre (1988) called “le quotidien” – the everyday, and how these affect the students’ meaning-making potential in specific ways. It also traces the contours (and detours) of the instructor’s classroom practices after the researcher’s mediation in the form of collaborative inquiries on functional grammar and critical literacy, and the effects of these classroom practices on making meaning in her EAP classes. I consider several issues from an integrated theory and practice perspective. Because of an urgent need to understand the students’ practices and epistemologies as they engage in ever newer forms of multimodal text productions, I contend that EAP classroom practices must be reshaped to facilitate more (inter)active engagements of the multimodal texts that saturate students’ lives, both inside the class and outside. Related to this, I highlight in my classroom data what actually counts as the ‘critical’ or the ‘uncritical’ in this EAP classroom and argue why these distinctions matter. Lastly, I suggest ways in which the role of a critical multiliteracies education in EAP can meet the pragmatic needs of both students and teachers. My research contributes to a much-needed dialogue between critically oriented researchers and practitioners in the field of TESOL/Applied Linguistics by bridging the gap between theory and practice. The lessons learned from this collaborative classroom praxis point to concrete ways to help EAP teachers and students utilize their meaning-making potential. This involves equipping them with an expanded social semiotic tool-kit that can enable them to not only meet their immediate academic needs, but also help create a more active and possibly transformative role in the social constructions of discourse, language, and society. This doctoral dissertation has implications for those who are involved in EAP teaching and research, curriculum planning, teacher training, and student needs assessment.

This classroom ethnography documents the developing critical literacy pedagogy of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) instructor over the course of several terms. My research, which involved extensive collaboration with the EAP instructor, explores how specific classroom practices and discourses are enacted and mediated through dialogic intertextualities, material objects, and social actions that frame representations about language, literacy, and what Lefebvre (1988) called “le quotidien” – the everyday, and how these affect the students’ meaning-making potential in specific ways. It also traces the contours (and detours) of the instructor’s classroom practices after the researcher’s mediation in the form of collaborative inquiries on functional grammar and critical literacy, and the effects of these classroom practices on making meaning in her EAP classes. I consider several issues from an integrated theory and practice perspective. Because of an urgent need to understand the students’ practices and epistemologies as they engage in ever newer forms of multimodal text productions, I contend that EAP classroom practices must be reshaped to facilitate more (inter)active engagements of the multimodal texts that saturate students’ lives, both inside the class and outside. Related to this, I highlight in my classroom data what actually counts as the ‘critical’ or the ‘uncritical’ in this EAP classroom and argue why these distinctions matter. Lastly, I suggest ways in which the role of a critical multiliteracies education in EAP can meet the pragmatic needs of both students and teachers. My research contributes to a much-needed dialogue between critically oriented researchers and practitioners in the field of TESOL/Applied Linguistics by bridging the gap between theory and practice. The lessons learned from this collaborative classroom praxis point to concrete ways to help EAP teachers and students utilize their meaning-making potential. This involves equipping them with an expanded social semiotic tool-kit that can enable them to not only meet their immediate academic needs, but also help create a more active and possibly transformative role in the social constructions of discourse, language, and society. This doctoral dissertation has implications for those who are involved in EAP teaching and research, curriculum planning, teacher training, and student needs assessment.

[ES] Esta tesis investiga la representación de los refugiados iraquíes en The Guardian y Deutsche Welle, empleando el Análisis Crítico del Discurso (ACD), el Análisis del Encuadre y el Análisis Multimodal. La investigación incluye el análisis lingüístico de titulares de noticias y el análisis multimodal de representaciones visuales. El primer análisis revela que The Guardian utiliza a menudo un discurso empático y político, especialmente hacia minorías étnicas como yazidíes y cristianos, mientras que la representación de Deutsche Welle está influida por los acontecimientos políticos en Alemania. Ambos medios enmarcan la crisis de los refugiados iraquíes como un problema social de Oriente Medio, destacando los desplazamientos forzosos y los ataques del ISIS. El análisis multimodal identifica cuatro temas en las representaciones visuales: individualización y distancia, que humanizan a los refugiados, y alteridad y objetivización, que los deshumanizan. El texto y las imágenes a veces se refuerzan mutuamente, pero también pueden presentar mensajes inconexos. Las imágenes visuales evocan respuestas emocionales más fuertes y proporcionan un contexto adicional más allá del análisis textual. La tesis concluye que la integración de los análisis de texto e imagen ofrece una comprensión más completa de las representaciones mediáticas, haciendo hincapié en la dimensión cohesiva de los textos multimodales a la hora de configurar el contexto y el significado. / [CA] Aquesta tesi investiga la representació dels refugiats iraquians en The Guardian i Deutsche Welle, emprant l'Anàlisi Crítica del Discurs (CDA), l'Anàlisi de l'Emmarcament i l'Anàlisi Multimodal. La recerca inclou una anàlisi lingüística dels titulars de notícies i una anàlisi multimodal de les representacions visuals. La primera anàlisi revela que The Guardian sovint utilitza un discurs empàtic i polític, especialment cap a les minories ètniques com els yazidites i cristians, mentre que la representació de Deutsche Welle està influenciada pels esdeveniments polítics a Alemanya. Ambdós mitjans emmarquen la crisi dels refugiats iraquians com un problema social de l'Orient Mitjà, destacant el desplaçament forçat i els atacs d'ISIS. L'anàlisi multimodal identifica quatre temes en les representacions visuals: individualització i distància, que humanitzen els refugiats, i alteritat i objectivació, que els deshumanitzen. Text i imatges a vegades es reforcen mútuament però també poden presentar missatges disjuntius. Les imatges visuals evoquen respostes emocionals més fortes i proporcionen context addicional més enllà de l'anàlisi textual. La tesi conclou que integrar l'anàlisi de text i imatge ofereix una comprensió més completa de les representacions mediàtiques, destacant la dimensió cohesionada dels textos multimodals en la configuració del context i significat. / [EN] This thesis investigates the depiction of Iraqi refugees in The Guardian and Deutsche Welle, employing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), Framing Analysis, and Multimodal Analysis. The research includes linguistic analysis of news headlines and multimodal analysis of visual representations. The first analysis reveals that The Guardian often uses empathetic and political discourse, especially towards ethnic minorities like Yazidis and Christians, while Deutsche Welle's portrayal is influenced by political events in Germany. Both outlets frame the Iraqi refugee crisis as a Middle Eastern social problem, highlighting forced displacement and attacks by ISIS. The multimodal analysis identifies four themes in visual portrayals: individualization and distance, which humanize refugees, and otherness and objectivization, which dehumanize them. Text and images sometimes reinforce each other but can also present disjointed messages. Visual images evoke stronger emotional responses and provide additional context beyond textual analysis. The thesis concludes that integrating text and image analyses offers a more comprehensive understanding of media representations, emphasizing the cohesive dimension of multimodal texts in shaping context and meaning. / Abed, AN. (2024). Framing Iraqi Refugees in The Guardian and Deutsche Welle: A Critical Discourse and Multimodal Analysis Study [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/207879