How American Social Movements Frame Political Violence: The Case of Shireen Abu Akleh from April 2022 to the present
Date
2025-08-26
Authors
Hiba Ibrahim Issa Albabish
هبة إبراهيم عيسى البعبيش
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Al-Quds University
Abstract
This thesis examines how American social movements and media framed political violence
abroad, focusing on the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in
May 2022. It analyzes how advocacy groups and U.S. media responded, the narratives they
created, and how these frames shaped public opinion and political accountability. Using
social movement theory, framing analysis, and critical media studies, the study shows that
advocacy organizations quickly mobilized to demand justice, emphasizing press freedom,
human rights, and U.S. responsibility. However, their efforts faced barriers such as
political alliances, media hesitancy, and government silence. The analysis compares
coverage across different sources: Palestinian media was clear, Israeli media often
deflected responsibility, U.S. mainstream outlets were ambiguous, and alternative sources
like the Zeteo documentary Who Killed Shireen? made bold claims. The thesis also
highlights the role of cultural perceptions and stereotypes, drawing on Edward Said’s
concept of Orientalism, to explain how American audiences interpreted the frames. By
showing how Shireen’s journalist role, U.S. citizenship, and symbolic value were used in
advocacy, this study clarifies the challenges of transnational justice campaigns, the limits
of moral framing in U.S. foreign policy, and the uneven resonance of different narratives.
The findings have implications for future advocacy strategies and U.S. accountability in
international human rights cases.
Keywords: political violence, framing, Shireen Abu Akleh, social movements, media,
United States, advocacy, journalism, accountability, Orientalism
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Citation
Albabish، Hiba Ibrahim. (2025). How American Social Movements Frame Political Violence: The Case of Shireen Abu Akleh from April 2022 to the present Unpublished Master,s Thesis Al-Quds University, Palestine