Media and the War on Terror

Whilst much of the literature in this chapter does not directly discuss mythology, it makes an important contribution to this study. The three sections below share a topical focus on media and terrorism and a cultural focus on national identity, othering and orientalism. They provide my analysis of discourse, mythology and ideology with some important background context. Some of the literature considers Pearl Harbor as an historical analogy after 11 September; this media coverage shares some of the diachronic mechanisms that I explore in British discourses after 7 July. Whilst a discussion of media and terrorism could focus on research that has analysed coverage of many attacks and global conflicts, I provide an overview of 11 September media analysis since it connects to many of the discourses and ideological contexts covered in this book; it provides examples of discourses ‘legitimising’ military responses to terrorism and it is directly relevant to Britain’s involvement in the War on Terror. By also discussing theories of trauma, this literature addresses how the media are seen to have constructed discourses of patriotism, war and historical memory in response to terrorism.