Examination of Blog Discussion about the Beheading of Two American Journalists by ISIS

Authors

  • Chang Sup Park Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
  • David Magolis Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15664/jtr.1253

Keywords:

beheading, ISIS, blogs, deliberation, nationalism, rationality

Abstract

This study utilizes the beheading of two American journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in 2014. The content analyses of 980 comments from three political blogs (Townhall - conservative, Daily Kos - liberal, and The Moderate Voice - moderate) reveal that the majority of blog users exhibited their subjective thoughts and opinions rather than engaging in deliberative communication based on deep reasoning. Blog users also did not show a reciprocal attitude, mostly ignoring different voices. Most comments were made based on one-sided perspectives.

Author Biographies

Chang Sup Park, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Chang Sup Park is an assistant professor of mass communications in Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

David Magolis, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

David Magolis an associate professor of mass communications at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

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Published

2016-08-29

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 3 (2016)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2016 The Author(s)

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