Framing the 2024 Quota Reform Movement in Bangladesh: A Comparative Analysis of Media Narratives in Bangladesh and the United States

<p>This study investigates how Bangladeshi and U.S.-based media outlets framed the 2024 Quota Reform Movement in Bangladesh. While prior research has highlighted media ownership or ideology, this work explores how the national context influences framing across global North and South outlets. Drawing on framing and comparative media systems theory, propaganda models, and protest paradigms, the research explores differences in dominant frames, message themes, source attribution patterns, and sentiment across four major news platforms: <em>New York Times</em>, <em>Associated Press</em>, <em>New Nation</em>, and <em>Financial Express</em>. A structured content analysis of 400 articles was conducted using a multi-dimensional coding instrument. Findings indicate that U.S. outlets emphasized themes of human interest and international concern, whereas Bangladeshi outlets focused on conflict and protest narratives. Message themes such as justice and reform were more prevalent in local reporting, whereas global outlets focused on economic consequences and international implications. Sentiment analysis using VADER revealed divergent emotional valences, with U.S. headlines exhibiting more neutral or supportive tones compared to the largely negative framing in Bangladeshi media. Source selection also reflected institutional biases, with government officials dominating coverage in Bangladeshi outlets. U.S. outlets were more likely to include voices from protesters and experts compared to Bangladeshi outlets. Western outlets more frequently cited protesters and experts. These findings support hypotheses regarding the influence of geopolitical context and institutional pressures on media framing. This research contributes to understanding how socio-political movements are framed across different media systems.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Rashid, Mamunor

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Jae-Hwa Shin
• Dr. Edgar Simpson
• Dr. Amonia Tolofari

• Media framing
• Quota Reform Movement
• Bangladesh protests
• U.S. media coverage
• Comparative media analysis
• News sentiment analysis
• Arts and Humanities

Repository record dc:identifier

https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1138

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:aquila.usm.edu:masters_theses-2231