A critical discourse analysis on how the gender dimension is addressed in books about child soldiers
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2021-11-30
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en
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Abstract
Previous studies on gender portrayal have concluded that female characters are far less present in comparison to male characters in advertisement, movies and books. When the do appear, they do so in passive, stereotyped roles. This male gaze is also present in the genre of war and soldiers. The dominant view prevails that violences belong to males and females are automatically ascribed the role of the innocent victim. Due to these stereotypes, there is an incomplete picture of soldiers in conflict situations in the media. This thesis tries to contribute to providing new insights into this debate by analysing how male and female characters are being portrayed in books about child soldiers. By performing a critical discourse analysis on three different books about child soldiers I will analyse what perspective towards gender and women in war is presented by these books. My analysis shows that in all three books the dominated view of western readers that only boy soldiers participate in war and violence is not challenged. The books replicate the stereotypical character depiction of strong, brave men fighting in the war, while the female characters have a supporting role as a (grand)mother, aunt or nurse.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen