Tragic heroes, moral guides and activists: Representations of maternal grief, child death and tragedy in Australian newspapers

Weaver, R; Jackson, D

Tragic heroes, moral guides and activists: Representations of maternal grief, child death and tragedy in Australian newspapers

Weaver, R Jackson, D

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Health Sociology Review, 2012, 21 (4), pp. 432 - 440
Issue Date:: 2012-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Weaver, R	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Jackson, D https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5252-5325	en_US
dc.date.issued	2012-12-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Health Sociology Review, 2012, 21 (4), pp. 432 - 440	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1446-1242	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/31694
dc.description.abstract	Newspapers are a highly infl uential media that refl ect and powerfully infl uence the views and cultural practices of individuals and societies. Study of phenomena using the media as a lens can provide new insights and understandings into how a phenomenon is culturally constructed and understood. This current study sought to explore media coverage of maternal grief following child death and loss. Articles published in major Australian newspapers over three months were gathered and analysed using a thematic approach. Findings showed that the tragic mother, a noble victim of suffering, is a powerful maternal image in the media. There were two key ways women as mothers were represented in their grief: as tragic heroes, and; as moral guides and activists. Using an interdisciplinary approach that references classical and modern interpretations of tragedy, this study interrogates how our culture imbues child death with dignity because of the quality of maternal grief. © eContent Management Pty Ltd.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Health Sociology Review	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.5172/hesr.2012.21.4.432	en_US
dc.title	Tragic heroes, moral guides and activists: Representations of maternal grief, child death and tragedy in Australian newspapers	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	21	en_US
utslib.for	1608 Sociology	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Nursing
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	21	en_US

Abstract:

Newspapers are a highly infl uential media that refl ect and powerfully infl uence the views and cultural practices of individuals and societies. Study of phenomena using the media as a lens can provide new insights and understandings into how a phenomenon is culturally constructed and understood. This current study sought to explore media coverage of maternal grief following child death and loss. Articles published in major Australian newspapers over three months were gathered and analysed using a thematic approach. Findings showed that the tragic mother, a noble victim of suffering, is a powerful maternal image in the media. There were two key ways women as mothers were represented in their grief: as tragic heroes, and; as moral guides and activists. Using an interdisciplinary approach that references classical and modern interpretations of tragedy, this study interrogates how our culture imbues child death with dignity because of the quality of maternal grief. © eContent Management Pty Ltd.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/31694