CHALLENGING A MASTER NARRATIVE - PEACE PROTEST AND OPINION EDITORIAL DISCOURSE IN THE UNITED-STATES PRESS DURING THE GULF-WAR

A textual analysis of an archive of US newspaper articles published du ring the first two weeks of the Gulf War reveals that three interpreta tive news frames-the Enemy Within, Marginal Oddity and Legitimate Cont roversy-dominated press coverage of antiwar protest. Salient textual c haracteristics (themes, metaphors, argumentation strategies, tone, syn tactical and lexical choices) of each frame are discussed, particularl y as they were manifested in opinion/editorial commentary The differen tial treatment of different voices (moralist, utilitarian, radical) wi thin the peace movement is also analyzed, showing that some perspectiv es tended to be relatively privileged over others; but more important, the movement as a whole was placed on the defensive in press discours e, compelled to defend its own legitimacy. These patterns of press dis course are related very broadly to America's 'master narrative' of war , a narrative which had been threatened by the Vietnam experience.