Abstract Brazil has recently been experiencing a phenomenon of political polarization: a conflict involving political views and social identities. Considering the extent to which this socially constructed conflict has been partially fueled by the media, we propose to use the Social Representations Theory. The present study explores how discourses in the mainstream media construct the political polarization taking place in Brazil. The topics covered in 82 texts published between January 2015 and August 2019 in Brazilian mainstream press, Folha da S. Paulo and Estado de S. Paulo, were examined using content analysis and Reinert's method with IRaMuTeQ software. A descending hierarchical analysis divided the corpus into four classes, and content analysis showed that both daily newspapers strongly criticized the political polarization underway, which was anchored to and objectified through episodes of violence, and they supported the valorization of democracy.
The body is essential in forming impressions on someone. When thinking about people with physical disabilities, the body becomes the main marker of difference. In the theoretical foundation of this research, the Theory of Social Representations was used. The objective was to characterize the social representations of the body for 12 men and 12 women with acquired physical disabilities. Semi-structured interviews and a sociodemographic questionnaire were used as instruments. The data were analyzed through Descending Hierarchical Classification and descriptive analysis. The social representations of the body presented two structural axes: health and aesthetics. No significant differences were found in the social representations of the body of men and women. However, some experiential elements were distinct, evidencing maintenance of behavior related to gender roles. It is pertinent to create public spaces that are attentive to the corporal diversity and strategies that stimulate the social and political participation of people with disabilities. ; El cuerpo es esencial en la formación de impresiones sobre alguien, al pensar en personas con discapacidad física, el cuerpo se convierte en el principal marcador de la diferencia. En la fundamentación teórica se utilizó la Teoría de las Representaciones Sociales, se objetivó caracterizar las representaciones sociales del cuerpo para 12 hombres y 12 mujeres con deficiencia física adquirida. Como instrumentos se utilizó entrevista semiestructurada y cuestionario sociodemográfico, los datos fueron analizados a través de clasificación jerárquica descendente y análisis descriptivo. Las representaciones sociales del cuerpo presentaron dos ejes estructurales: salud y estética. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en las representaciones sociales del cuerpo de hombres y mujeres, sin embargo, algunos elementos fueron mantenimiento existencial distinto del comportamiento relacionado con papel de género. Se muestra pertinente la creación de espacios públicos que se atenten a la diversidad corporal y estrategias que estimulen la participación social y política de las personas con discapacidad. ; O corpo é essencial na formação de impressões sobre alguém, ao se pensar em pessoas com deficiência física, o corpo torna-se o principal marcador da diferença. Na fundamentação teórica dessa pesquisa utilizou-se a Teoria das Representações Sociais e objetivou-se caracterizar as representações sociais do corpo para 12 homens e 12 mulheres com deficiência física adquirida. Como instrumentos utilizou-se entrevista semiestruturada e questionário sociodemográfico. Os dados foram analisados através de Classificação Hierárquica Descendente e análise descritiva. As representações sociais do corpo apresentaram dois eixos estruturais: saúde e estética. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas nas representações sociais do corpo de homens e mulheres, contudo, alguns elementos vivenciais foram distintos, evidenciando manutenção de comportamento relacionado aos papeis de gênero. Mostra-se pertinente a criação de espaços públicos que se atentem à diversidade corporal e estratégias que estimulem a participação social e política das pessoas com deficiência.
The role of communication in a pandemic emergency is crucial because it contributes to the spread of collective interpretations of the crisis that drive community responses. Based on the social representations' theory approach, and specifically relying on the notions of collective symbolic coping and polemical social representations, the study presents 10 country-based case studies of public communication with the aim of exploring the social representations of COVID-19 during the first wave of the outbreak. Multiple communication sources from 10 countries in 5 geo-cultural contexts (Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa) were selected and analyzed: institutional websites; international/national/local newspapers and news channels; national/international press agencies; and social media platforms. Results highlighted the prevalence of multivocality and polemical social representations, along with outgroup blaming and stigmatization processes, the use of military and naturalistic metaphors, antinomies, and discourse polarization. Implications for effective public communication in crisis management are discussed.
