The dialectics of media representation: 'Je Suis Charlie' as fetishization of an image

Journal article | Zeitschriftenartikel

The terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine on January 7, 2015, lead to a swift response from media conglomerates in the form of powerful images and narratives that sought to preserve the official mythology and to reverse the effects of the violent terrorist communication. In the dialectics of media representations, the texts are transformed into images and images into icons. We are referring here to the highlighting of the Je suis Charlie theme as a particular image that was used as a rallying cry. Analysing the production of symbolic forms, especially in the international media representation with a special accent on headlines and visual and textual images we come to the conclusion that Je suis Charlie slogan suffered an ideological transformation, the image becoming a fetish. Hence, we have spoted an iconoclastic reaction from some international media outlets that were suggesting the need for an ambivalent narrative, avoiding an absolute, frozen meaning.

Object Details

• Alternative title: La dialectique de la représentation médiatique. Je suis Charlie comme fétichisation d'une image
• ISSN: 1775-352X
• Extent: Seite(n): 207-225
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Status: Veröffentlichungsversion; begutachtet (peer reviewed)

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: ESSACHESS - Journal for Communication Studies, 8(2)

Classification and Topics

• Subject: Publizistische Medien, Journalismus,Verlagswesen ; Soziologie, Anthropologie ; Kommunikationssoziologie, Sprachsoziologie, Soziolinguistik ; Medieninhalte, Aussagenforschung ; Digitale Medien ; Repräsentation ; Mythos ; Massenkommunikation ; Medien ; Bild ; Einstellungsbildung ; Semantik ; Symbol ; Polarisierung ; Terrorismus

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Petrof, Sorin
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Frankreich
• (when): 2015

Further information

• URN: urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-46799-1
• Rights: GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. Bibliothek Köln
• Last update: 21.06.2024, 4:27 PM CEST