Sectarianism in Arab Media: An Analysis of Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera Narratives in Syria, Iraq, and Arabia

Abstract

This thesis seeks to explore how, when, and why the two largest pan-Arab broadcasters- al-Arabiya and al-Jazeera- promote sectarian strife in their coverage of conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Bahrain, and Yemen. My research shows that both networks appeal to readers' sectarian prejudices in news articles as well as opinion pieces through the use of graphic descriptions of violence as well as by stoking the fears of Iranian expansionist ambitions in the Arab world. I conclude that the networks' coverage of sectarian conflicts is shaped by the foreign policy goals of their Saudi and Qatari sponsors, and I propose a new schema for understanding the role political objectives and demographic realities play in determining whether or not the networks utilize sectarian tactics in their coverage of the conflicts.