“MONTREAL’S NORTH RIOTS”: AN ANALYSIS OF FRENCH WRITTEN PRESS DISCOURSES

Abstract

In line with Isabelle Garcin-Marrou’s work in literal
semiotic and communication, this essay offers an analysis
of a representative sample of articles in the francophone
written press from the 11th and 12th of August 2008 to
answer this question: how medias participate in the
building of the events? Far from being outside of
Northern Montreal’s riots, they are a central component:
their presence on site has influenced the rioters actions
and their discourse have built our perception of the
events. A critical reading of the media’s role in Montreal’s
events has not been the object of an academical research
yet. A discursive analysis of the written press brings out
dichotomous couples, like norm-deviance and under- * [email protected] standing-lack of understanding, both essentials to graspthe riots. It is through their filter that we will read and
“judge” the events, the authors of the violences and the
space where they occur. The definition of “norm” and
“deviance” depends on the socio-political affiliation of the
newspaper and will be substantiated by expert’s speeches
on it, also providing a scientific legitimacy. These norms
most likely correspond to their reader’s profile, genuine or
imagined, and will integrate the factual and chronological narrative of the events. Thus, we find a great majority of “safe” speeches, and a minority of speeches that recognizes the sociopolitical violences that the rioters also
suffer from.