Cross-National Media Framing of Military Conflicts: A Qualitative Analysis of the India-Pakistan Escalation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/ijcm.3380Keywords:
Media Framing, India-Pakistan Conflict, International News Coverage, Retaliation, Humanitarian Consequences, Escalation Risk, Diplomacy, Qualitative Content Analysis.Abstract
Purpose of the Study: This study investigates how international media framed the India-Pakistan military exchanges following the 7 May 2025 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. The research seeks to identify how different global, regional, and state-aligned news organizations constructed the news relating to conflict escalation, the legitimacy of military actions, humanitarian repercussions, and diplomatic interventions. It further investigates how these framing patterns vary across geopolitical and institutional contexts as a way to reveal the structural influences on international conflict reporting.
Methodology: A qualitative content analysis was performed using a purposive sample of 17 international news outlets: CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, DW, France 24, Al Arabiya, CGTN, Daily Sabah, Azerbaijan News, Mathrubhumi, Indonesia News, Bangladesh News, Sri Lankan News, I24 News, Qatar Media, CBC News, and Russian Media. News reports, published during the period of peak escalation, were collected and analyzed as textual units. A coding framework rooted in framing theory operationalized four dominant frames: retaliation/justification, humanitarian impact, escalation risk, and diplomacy/mediation. Cross-national comparisons were made to look at variations in narrative tone, emphasis, and discursive strategies.
Findings: The results indicate clear cross-national differences in media framing. Western outlets framed the conflict predominantly in terms of strategic calculations, military escalation, nuclear risk, and international calls for restraint, thereby constructing it as a global security issue. Regional media paid more attention to civilian casualties, displacement, and national security narratives, locating their coverage within domestic political and social contexts. State-aligned media emphasized diplomatic initiatives, ceasefire efforts, and official government perspectives. Such patterns indicate that framing is heavily influenced by geopolitical alignment, institutional orientation, and intended audiences, thereby generating divergence in the constructions of legitimacy, responsibility, and urgency.
Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Theoretically, the study furthers framing research by placing geopolitical alignment as a structural determinant of conflict narratives. Practically, it offers guidance for conflict reporting that is more balanced and ethically informed. From a policy perspective, it yields insights for diplomatic and communicative strategies for promoting conflict-sensitive media practices with the aim of diminishing risks of escalation.
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