Resistance to the dehumanisation of asylum seekers in Australia’s mediated public sphere: an audience perspective Haw, Ashleigh, Fozdar, F and Cover, R 2020, Resistance to the dehumanisation of asylum seekers in Australia’s mediated public sphere: an audience perspective, Media, Culture and Society, vol. 42, no. 6, pp. 898-914, doi: 10.1177/0163443719890531. Attached Files Name Description MIMEType Size Downloads Title Resistance to the dehumanisation of asylum seekers in Australia’s mediated public sphere: an audience perspective Author(s) Haw, Ashleigh Fozdar, F Cover, R Journal name Media, Culture and Society Volume number 42 Issue number 6 Article ID 0163443719890531 Start page 898 End page 914 Total pages 17 Publisher SAGE Publications Place of publication London, England Publication date 2020-09 ISSN 0163-4437 1460-3675 Keyword(s) ACCEPTANCE asylum seekers ATTITUDES audience reception audiences Australia BOAT PEOPLE Communication critical discourse analysis dehumanisation inclusion LIFE media MULTICULTURALISM news PERCEPTIONS POLITICS REFUGEE CRISIS REPRESENTATIONS Social Sciences Sociology Summary Media narratives that dehumanise asylum seekers have tremendous power to shape and reinforce public support for policies that jeopardise the well-being of some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Research suggests that such dehumanisation is exacerbated by the limited opportunities these groups have to contribute to media coverage about their experiences. In response, scholars have advocated for more inclusion of asylum seekers’ voices in news coverage; however, little is known about how Australian media audiences are engaging with this issue. This article discusses research utilising Critical Discourse Analysis alongside a cultural studies Audience Reception framework to examine the perspectives of 24 Western Australians concerning news discourses about asylum seekers. Resistance to dehumanising constructions was a recurring theme, with many participants arguing for greater inclusion of asylum seekers voices’ in news depictions of their plight. These findings suggest that some audiences are challenging and resisting dehumanising discourses about asylum seekers and in some cases, demonstrating awareness of Australian media’s evident exclusion of their voices. Examined through Judith Butler’s social ethics lens, we consider these findings in the light of positions that advocate for the provision of voice as a means to a more ethical and inclusive Australian media. Language eng DOI 10.1177/0163443719890531 Field of Research 1903 Journalism and Professional Writing 2001 Communication and Media Studies 2002 Cultural Studies HERDC Research category C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal Persistent URL http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30162546 Document type: Journal Article Collections: Faculty of Arts and Education PVC's Office - Arts and Education Related Links Link Description Connect to published version Go to link with your DU access privileges   Connect to Elements publication management system Go to link with your DU access privileges     Unless expressly stated otherwise, the copyright for items in DRO is owned by the author, with all rights reserved. Versions Version Filter Type Wed, 16 Feb 2022, 12:10:45 EST Wed, 16 Feb 2022, 16:01:34 EST Fri, 25 Feb 2022, 13:03:54 EST Fri, 25 Feb 2022, 15:56:04 EST Sat, 05 Mar 2022, 01:31:01 EST Sat, 05 Mar 2022, 01:45:14 EST Tue, 05 Apr 2022, 10:13:46 EST Tue, 05 Apr 2022, 15:00:47 EST Tue, 05 Apr 2022, 16:42:40 EST Fri, 08 Apr 2022, 11:30:03 EST Fri, 08 Apr 2022, 12:58:44 EST Wed, 20 Apr 2022, 13:40:13 EST Filtered Full Citation counts:   Cited 2 times in TR Web of Science Cited 2 times in Scopus Search Google Scholar Access Statistics: 17 Abstract Views, 5 File Downloads  -  Detailed Statistics Created: Fri, 25 Feb 2022, 13:03:54 EST