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Media Representations of Science during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis of News and Social Media on the Island of Ireland

Author

Listed:
  • Cliodhna O’Connor

    (School of Psychology, University College Dublin, D04 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Nicola O’Connell

    (Discipline of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Population Health, Trinity College Dublin, D02 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Emma Burke

    (Discipline of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Population Health, Trinity College Dublin, D02 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Ann Nolan

    (Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, D02 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Martin Dempster

    (School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5BN, UK)

  • Christopher D. Graham

    (School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5BN, UK)

  • Gail Nicolson

    (Discipline of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Population Health, Trinity College Dublin, D02 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Joseph Barry

    (Discipline of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Population Health, Trinity College Dublin, D02 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Gabriel Scally

    (School of Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK)

  • Philip Crowley

    (Quality Improvement, Health Service Executive, D08 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Lina Zgaga

    (Discipline of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Population Health, Trinity College Dublin, D02 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Luke Mather

    (Discipline of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Population Health, Trinity College Dublin, D02 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Catherine D. Darker

    (Discipline of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Population Health, Trinity College Dublin, D02 Dublin, Ireland)

Abstract

COVID-19 is arguably the most critical science communication challenge of a generation, yet comes in the wake of a purported populist turn against scientific expertise in western societies. This study advances understanding of science–society relations during the COVID-19 pandemic by analysing how science was represented in news and social media coverage of COVID-19 on the island of Ireland. Thematic analysis was performed on a dataset comprising 952 news articles and 603 tweets published between 1 January and 31 May 2020. Three themes characterised the range of meanings attached to science: ‘Defining science: Its subjects, practice and process’, ‘Relating to science: Between veneration and suspicion’ and ‘Using science: As solution, policy and rhetoric’. The analysis suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic represented a platform to highlight the value, philosophy, process and day-to-day activity of scientific research. However, the study also identified risks the pandemic might pose to science communication, including feeding public alienation by disparaging lay understandings, reinforcing stereotypical images of scientists, and amplifying the politicisation of scientific statements.

Suggested Citation

  • Cliodhna O’Connor & Nicola O’Connell & Emma Burke & Ann Nolan & Martin Dempster & Christopher D. Graham & Gail Nicolson & Joseph Barry & Gabriel Scally & Philip Crowley & Lina Zgaga & Luke Mather & Ca, 2021. "Media Representations of Science during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis of News and Social Media on the Island of Ireland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-23, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:18:p:9542-:d:632712
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Shanto Iyengar & Douglas S. Massey, 2019. "Scientific communication in a post-truth society," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 116(16), pages 7656-7661, April.
    3. Lynne Peeples, 2020. "Face masks: what the data say," Nature, Nature, vol. 586(7828), pages 186-189, October.
    4. Fukasawa, Maiko & Kawakami, Norito & Umeda, Maki & Akiyama, Tsuyoshi & Horikoshi, Naoko & Yasumura, Seiji & Yabe, Hirooki & Suzuki, Yuriko & Bromet, Evelyn J., 2020. "Long-lasting effects of distrust in government and science on mental health eight years after the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    5. Fuller, Steve, 2017. "Brexit as the unlikely leading edge of the anti-expert revolution," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 575-580.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wheatley Dawn, 2022. "Irish audiences and news information from official sources during Covid-19," Administration, Sciendo, vol. 70(3), pages 7-32, August.

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