Social Categorization of Op Ed Discourse in Harry Potter
Issue Date
2010-04-22Author
Hatfield, Rachel Catherine
Publisher
University of Kansas
Format
87 pages
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
M.A.
Discipline
Communication Studies
Rights
This item is protected by copyright and unless otherwise specified the copyright of this thesis/dissertation is held by the author.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This study investigated the process of social categorization present in the public discourse surrounding the Harry Potter phenomenon as a piece of convergent media. The study's research questions asked which social categories were present in op-ed treatments of the topic, how each category is perceived, and which major strategies are used in relation to those perceived categories. Research questions were addressed with discourse analysis of op-ed pieces from large circulation mass media articles. It found the social categories of child and adult fans, casual readers, non-participators, stewards and commentators. These social categories were shown to fit together to represent membership categorization devices. Rules and boundaries created by those devices influenced authors' claimed self-identities.
Collections
- Communication Studies Dissertations and Theses [275]
- Theses [3942]
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