Abstract/Summary

This thesis examines the portrayal of Saudi women in British and Saudi newspapers from April 25, 2016, to April 25, 2020. Using corpus-assisted methods and critical discourse analysis, the research delves into the impact of Saudi Vision 2030. Three corpora (British broadsheets, tabloids, and Saudi newspapers) were examined, revealing shared themes like "People," "Law and Order," and "Rights and Freedom." Positive coverage of developments such as the lifting of driving bans is observed in both British and Saudi media. However, differences emerge: British media focuses on controversies and challenges, emphasising dissent, violence, and clothing choices, potentially oversimplifying cultural nuances. In contrast, Saudi newspapers prioritise social cohesion, empowerment, and positive narratives, depicting Saudi women as active agents in society. This study emphasises the need to critically analyse media representations, promote gender equality, and challenge stereotypes. It significantly contributes to the discourse on gender representation in the media. The lack of comparative research on media representations of Saudi women constitutes a significant gap in the existing literature. In the second study, I address this scarcity by focusing on stereotypical portrayals of Saudi women in articles. This analysis involves examining a smaller sample from the main corpora, including articles from Al Riyadh, The Guardian, and The Times. To conduct a more in-depth qualitative analysis, I employ van Leeuwen's Social Actor Approach, allowing for a nuanced exploration of the portrayals of Saudi women in the selected media articles. The findings reveal distinct patterns in media representations: British media predominantly employ activated foregrounded inclusion, emphasising active roles, yet subtly reinforcing social stereotypes. British newspapers, in contrast to Saudi articles, often highlight Saudi women's activism, framing them primarily as protestors and recipients of societal change. This nuanced portrayal challenges traditional stereotypes but at the same time perpetuates certain social biases. On the other hand, Saudi articles predominantly employ activated backgrounded inclusion, depicting women as beneficiaries of external actions, although functionalization in these articles challenges prevailing Western stereotypes by highlighting influential positions held by Saudi women. Despite these nuances, the research underscores the evolving narrative around Saudi women, emphasising their multifaceted roles while also shedding light on persistent social stereotypes prevalent in British media coverage. Furthermore, the third study explores individuals' responses on Twitter to articles shared by the official accounts of @Alriyadh and @Guardian, examining whether these responses display similarities or differences across diverse social and cultural backgrounds. By applying Martin and White's Appraisal Theory, the analysis specifically focuses on attitudes towards the issues concerning Saudi women discussed in the shared articles. The findingsindicate that reactionsto tweetsfrom Al-Riyadh primarily consist of appreciation, followed by judgment, and affect. Most comments express support for the reforms, demonstrating a favourable impression and response. However, conflicting responses are evident through negative appreciation and negative evaluations of human behaviour within the judgment category. Affect appears less frequently but predominantly conveys positive emotions. Similar patterns are observed in reactions to tweets from The Guardian, with positive appreciation being the most common mode of response. Negative appreciation also constitutes a substantial proportion, while the judgment category primarily manifests negative sentiments. Affect, as the least frequently employed category, underscores the prevalence of positive emotional expressions. In summary, this thesis offers a comprehensive and comparative analysis of the representation of Saudi women in British and Saudi newspapers, highlighting the implications of political and cultural transformations and the impact of different cultural/pollical perspectives on the representations of Saudi women. It challenges stereotypes and reveals women's active roles and contributions in society. Additionally, it explores individuals' responses on Twitter, indicating support for reforms and varying sentiments. The research contributes significantly to understanding evolving media representations and societal perceptions of Saudi women.