A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Social Construction of Chanel Miller and Brock Turner

Sexual violence is one of the most serious issues on college and university campuses today. It is estimated that approximately one in five college women experiences sexual assault in their lifetime, and sexual assault has appeared on the AASCU's list of top ten issues in higher education almost every year for the last decade. However, administrators and policymakers have struggled to make headway in eliminating the perpetuation of sexual violence on our college and university campuses. Recent studies have argued that to eradicate sexual violence we need to approach education, prevention, and response differently. Opposed to relying on bystander intervention or stopping sexual violence one perpetrator at a time, we need to address the issues of power, privilege, and oppression that serve to normalize the perpetration of sexual violence. This study aims to help move us toward dismantling these systems of oppression by understanding how language is used to shape beliefs about perpetrators and victims of sexual violence and contribute to their social construction. Grounded in the theory of social construction and the power conscious framework, this study employed critical discourse analysis in the analysis of approximately 170 newspaper articles written about "People v. Turner" to understand how language was used to socially construct images of Chanel Miller and Brock Turner and contribute to social perceptions of perpetrators and victims as more or less valuable to society or deserving of social resources. By analyzing how language and rhetoric were used to contribute to perceptions of Miller, Turner, and the criminal justice system, this study helps illuminate how higher education administrators, scholars, and policymakers can take steps toward eliminating sexual violence on college and university campuses. It is critical to actively engage with narratives and provide complete and accurate information to constituents and promote the development of critical thinking and empathy skills in students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]