Posted: January 18th, 2023

The Framing of Citizenship Deprivation: An analysis of the UK mainstream media’s framing of the citizenship deprivation of Shamima Begum

The Framing of Citizenship Deprivation: An analysis of the UK mainstream media’s framing of the citizenship deprivation of Shamima Begum
The framing of citizenship deprivation refers to the way in which the media presents and interprets issues related to the deprivation of citizenship, such as the case of Shamima Begum. In this context, the media plays a significant role in shaping public discourse and shaping public opinion on citizenship deprivation.
Shamima Begum was a British teenager who left the UK to join the Islamic State group in Syria in 2015. She was subsequently stripped of her UK citizenship by the government in 2019, on the grounds that her presence in the UK would not be “conducive to the public good.” Begum’s case received significant media attention, and the way in which the media framed the issue of her citizenship deprivation is worth examining.
One way in which the media framed the issue of Begum’s citizenship deprivation was through the use of emotive language and personalizing the story. Many media outlets focused on Begum’s personal background and story, presenting her as a young woman who had made a mistake and was seeking to return to the UK. This personalization of the story was often accompanied by emotional language, with headlines such as “Shamima Begum: The Teenage ISIS Bride Who Just Wants to Come Home” (BBC, 2019). This emotive framing of the story presented Begum as a victim, and positioned the issue of her citizenship deprivation as one of compassion and forgiveness.
Another way in which the media framed the issue of Begum’s citizenship deprivation was through the use of legal and security-related language and framing the issue in terms of national security. Many media outlets presented Begum’s case as a legal and security issue, focusing on the implications of her return to the UK for national security. This framing of the issue often included the use of legal and security-related language, such as “deprivation of citizenship” and “national security threat.” This framing of the issue presented Begum as a potential threat to the UK, and positioned the issue of her citizenship deprivation as a necessary measure to protect national security.
A third way in which the media framed the issue of Begum’s citizenship deprivation was through the use of moral language and presenting the issue as a question of morality. Some media outlets presented Begum’s case as a moral dilemma, with headlines such as “Should Shamima Begum Be Allowed to Return to the UK?” (The Guardian, 2019). This framing of the issue presented Begum as a person who had violated moral norms, and positioned the issue of her citizenship deprivation as a question of whether she should be punished or forgiven.
Overall, the media’s framing of the issue of Begum’s citizenship deprivation can be seen as reflecting and reinforcing certain dominant narratives and discourses around citizenship, national identity, and security. The media’s use of emotive, legal and security-related, and moral language and framing of the issue all played a role in shaping public discourse and opinion on the issue of Begum’s citizenship deprivation.
The media’s framing of the issue of citizenship deprivation, as exemplified by the case of Shamima Begum, plays a significant role in shaping public discourse and opinion on this issue. The media’s use of emotive, legal and security-related, and moral language and framing of the issue can be seen as reflecting and reinforcing certain dominant narratives and discourses around citizenship, national identity, and security.