Abstract Book of the 6th World Conference on Media and Communication
Year: 2025
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Communicating Civic Engagement in Times of Threat: A News Media Analysis of Security-Related Discourse
Jurgita Jurkevičienė
ABSTRACT:
Civic engagement plays a vital role in reinforcing societal resilience, particularly when communities face heightened security threats. In the Baltic region, where the geopolitical situation has become increasingly tense and security risks more pronounced, promoting active citizenship gains additional significance for maintaining collective preparedness and social cohesion. At the same time, research indicates that civic empowerment in the region remains comparatively limited, underscoring the need for more effective approaches to foster civic responsibility. Within this context, news media emerge as a crucial arena for shaping public perceptions of citizenship, especially in narratives centered on national and societal security.
Focusing on Lithuania, this article draws on a quantitative content analysis conducted within the research project RECONECT (Contract No. S-VIS-23-14), funded by the Lithuanian Research Council. The study examines how the country’s most popular news media channels communicate security-related threats and portray the role of citizens within contemporary security discourse. It identifies which security risks receive the greatest attention, which discursive actors dominate media narratives, and whether and how the nation’s resilience to threats is evaluated. Special emphasis is placed on how civic engagement is framed: whether media outlets present citizenship as a factor that strengthens societal resilience, whether they encourage participation in civic initiatives, and how they conceptualize the role of ordinary residents in responding to emerging security challenges. By shedding light on these communication patterns, the study provides insights into how journalism and media discourse can inform, mobilize, or conversely constrain the development of an empowered and resilient civic society.
Keywords: Communication; Civic Engagement; News Media Discourse; Security Threats; Societal Resilience