Open AccessPages of revolution, promise and hope: metaphors of cloning and stem cell research in Brazilian newspapers
Author(s) -
Flávia Natércia da Silva Medeiros
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
brazilian journalism research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.153
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 1981-9854
pISSN - 1808-4079
DOI - 10.25200/bjr.v9n2.2013.611
Subject(s) - newspaper , construct (python library) , ideology , cloning (programming) , political science , politics , stem cell , resistance (ecology) , public opinion , sociology , environmental ethics , public relations , media studies , law , biology , genetics , philosophy , ecology , computer science , programming language
Metaphors not only contribute to cognitively accommodate new information and concepts, but also to mobilize political, social or ideological meanings. In the popularization of biotechnology-related facts and achievements, the metaphors chosen to construct newspaper articles may influence both positively and negatively the general public perceptions of its several applications. This study reports a discourse analysis of metaphors used in Brazilian opinion-leading newspapers to popularize cloning and stem cell research: “revolution”, “opening new ways/doors”, “promise” and “hope”. Predominantly associated with positive sense, they may have contributed to reduce the resistance against animal and/or therapeutic cloning and to construct a moral imperative in favor of embryonic stem cell research, which would lead to therapies or cures for incurable diseases.