The power of shame: A critical discourse analysis of social and cultural expectations communicated in media

Shame is an inescapable human feeling, and its impacts on human interaction are well documented. This thesis focuses on the power of symbolic shame in media and presents a critical discourse analysis (Machin & Mayr, 2012) of three recent public service announcements. As a theoretical basis, the study examines shame from point of view of ritual communication, framing theory, and the symbolic communication of stigma. Although shame is often regarded as an effective means to communicate social and cultural expectations and a tool for balancing behavior in society, shame may also be used to create structures of power and agendas that exclude others, shape our social world, and change our culture. The findings indicate a need for raising critical awareness to help future researchers understand how messages---particularly those that stigmatize certain groups---persuade and threaten our ability to recognize our shared humanity.