Political narratives shape public opinion and influence global decision-making, particularly in times of crisis. This presentation applies George Lakoff’s moral politics framework to examine how media outlets construct and disseminate ideological perspectives through framing strategies, metaphors, and cognitive biases. While Lakoff’s model provides a valuable lens for understanding conservative and liberal moral worldviews, this analysis also considers additional factors shaping media coverage, including economic interests, institutional biases, and social media dynamics.
By analyzing recent global events, we investigate how different moral frames contribute to media polarization and reinforce ideological divisions. Rather than adhering to a strict binary framework, this study acknowledges the complexity of political beliefs and highlights the role of journalistic language in shaping public perceptions. Additionally, we explore how cognitive biases influence both media producers and audiences, affecting news consumption and engagement.
The findings underscore the importance of media literacy in navigating contemporary information ecosystems and mitigating the effects of political polarization. By critically examining the interplay of moral framing, discourse strategies, and broader structural influences, this research aims to foster a more nuanced understanding of media narratives and encourage informed democratic participation.

Authors:
Martyna Bieniek, Kazimierz Wielki University, Poland

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Martyna Bieniek, currently working as a teaching and research assistant at the Kazimierz Wielki university in Bydgoszcz (Poland), at the institute of social communication and media. My main areas of interest are rhetoric, public speaking, media, analysis of media messages.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Friday Schedule

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