Genetic optimism:Framing genes and mental illness in the news

Over the past two decades the pace and specificity of discoveries associating genetics with mental illness has accelerated, which is reflected in an increase in news coverage about the genetics of mental disorder. The news media is a major source of public understanding of genetics and a strong influence on public discourse. This paper examines the news coverage of genetics and mental illness (i.e., bipolar illness and schizophrenia) over a 25 year period, emphasizing the peak period of 1987-1994. Using a sample of 110 news stories from 5 major American newspapers and 3 news magazines, we identify the frame of "genetic optimism" which dominated the reporting of genetics and mental illness beginning in the mid-1980s. The structure of the frame is comprised of 3 elements: a gene for the disorder exists; it will be found; and it will be good. New discoveries of genes were announced with great fanfare, but the most promising claims could not be replicated or were retracted in short order. Despite these disconfirmations, genetic optimism persisted in subsequent news stories. While the scientific accuracy of the gene stories is high, the genetic optimism frame distorts some of the findings, misrepresents and reifies the impact of genes on mental disorder, and leaves no space for critics or an examination of potential negative impacts. The stances of reporters, scientists and editors may all in different ways contribute to the perpetuation of genetic optimism. Genetic optimism presents an overly sanguine picture of the state of genetics; as we enter the genetic age it is important to balance the extraneous "hype and hope" contained in news stories of genetics and mental illness.

Bonds away : baseball mythology and the 2007 home run chase

In 2007, Barry Bonds hit his 75 6th home run, breaking Hank Aaron's all-time record for most home runs in a Major League career. While it would be expected that such an accomplishment would induce unending praise and adulationfor the new record-holder, Bonds did not receive the treatment typically reserved for a beloved baseball hero. The purpose of this thesis is to assess media representations of the 2007 home run chase in order to shed light upon the factors which led to the mixed representations which accompanied BOlTds ' assault on Aaron's record. Drawingfrom Roland Barthes ' concept of myth, this thesis proposes that Bonds was portrayed in predominantly negative ways because he was seen as failing to embody the values of baseball's mythology. Using a qualitative content analysis of three major American newspapers, this thesis examines portrayals of Bonds and how he was shown both to represent and oppose elements from baseball's mythology, such as youth, and a distant, agrarian past. Recognizing the ways in which baseball is associated with American life, the media representations of Bonds are also evaluated to discern whether he was portrayed as personifYing a distinctly American set of values. The results indicate that, in media coverage of the 2007 home run chase, Bonds was depicted as a player of many contradictions. Most commonly, Bonds' athletic ability and career achievements were contrasted with unflattering descriptions of his character, including discussions of his alleged use of performance-enhancing substances. However, some coverage portrayed Bonds as embodying baseball myth. The findings contribute to an appreciation of the importance of historical context in examining media representations. This understanding is enhanced by an analysis of a selection of articles on Mark McGwire 's record-breaking season in 1998, and careful consideration of, and comparison to, the context under which Bonds performed in 2007. Findings are also shown to support the contemporary existence of a strong American baseball mythology. That Bonds is both condemned for failing to uphold the mythology and praised for personifYing it suggests that the values seen as inherent to baseball continue to act as an American cultural benchmark.

La perception de l’ennemi japonais dans les médias écrits américains pendant la Deuxième Guerre mondiale

Ce mémoire offre un résumé de l’état de la recherche quant à la perception des Japonais et de l’ennemi japonais aux États-Unis avant et pendant la Deuxième Guerre mondiale. Il en ressort que la question plus spécifique du traitement réservé à l’ennemi japonais et à la responsabilité des actions de guerre perpétrées par celui-ci dans les journaux américains mérite d’être approfondie. L’analyse des articles publiés dans les trois mois suivant l’attaque japonaise de Pearl Harbour et précédant la fin officielle de la guerre dans trois grands périodiques américains de l’époque suggère que ceux-ci offrirent un traitement de l’ennemi japonais similaire à celui présent dans l’ensemble des autres média américains de l’époque, mais que ce traitement est généralement plus nuancé et éclaté dans les trois mois précédant la fin de la guerre. Certaines dissensions importantes peuvent y être constatée quant à la question de la responsabilité des actions de guerre japonaises entre les périodiques, ce qui suggère l’existence de points de vue, de valeurs et de perceptions différentes des Japonais aux États-Unis pendant la Deuxième Guerre mondiale.

José Martí entre dos crónicas : presiones editoriales y la autonomía relativa de la producción del escritor modernista

La producción de José Martí como cronista en los Estados Unidos para los diarios latinoamericanos El Partido Liberal, de México, y La Nación, de Argentina, estaba sujeta a diversas políticas editoriales. Hasta ahora estos mecanismos que condicionaban su obra no han sido estudiados para comprender un giro radical en su pensamiento. El 2 de setiembre de 1886, Martí escribió para La Nación una crónica acerca de los trágicos acontecimientos que se desencadenaron en Chicago, tras una protesta de trabajadores. En esa, Martí no duda de la responsabilidad de líderes anarquistas por la muerte de un policía. Sin embargo, en una segunda crónica enviada un año después, Martí presenta un giro radical en su apreciación de los anarquistas y critica las causas que los habían empujado a radicalizar el movimiento obrero. El presente ensayo revela cómo Martí modifica su posición al escribir bajo distintos sistemas de autorización y analiza la estrategia narrativa que emplea el escritor para surcar soterradamente estas presiones. El contenido de la segunda crónica para La Nación es analizado como la materialización de la voluntad autonómica del escritor modernista. Una afirmación que marca un clivaje crucial en su trayectoria que al poco tiempo lo conduciría a participar en la guerra de independencia de Cuba en 1895.

The Prospect : a monthly magazine for the colored people of America.

Not in J.P. Danky's African-American newspapers and periodicals, a national bibliography.

The Editorian.

Not in J.P. Danky's African-American newspapers and periodicals, a national bibliography.

The Negro.

Not in J.P. Danky's African-American newspapers and periodicals, a national bibliography.

The National freedman.

Editors: - , W. G. Hawkins.

Documents relating to the colonial, revolutionary and post-revolutionary history of the State of New Jersey.

Running title, Vols. 11-12, 19-20, 24-29, 31: Extracts from American newspapers relating to New Jersey, 1704-1775.

Principles of newspaper management,

"Suggested periodical references" at end of each chapter; Bibliography: p. 437-439.

Chicago foreign language press survey [microform] : Norwegian.

The survey was published in 1942 by the Chicago Public Library Omnibus Project of the Works Projects Administration of Illinois. The purpose of the project was to translate and classify selected news articles that appeared in the foreign language press from 1855 to 1938. The project consists of 120,000 typewritten pages translated from newspapers of 22 different foreign language communities in Chicago.

I. The West as a field for historical study,

"Available material" ... includes lists of newspapers of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

News for all : Americaʾs coming-of-age with the press /

Includes bibliographical references (p. 227-282) and index.

Annals of Cleveland--1818-1935 ...

Vols. XCIV-- have subtitle: Newspapers series.