Paper Proposal

Ginny Hoyle Lawrimore

9/12/10

Paper Proposal and (Working) Annotated Bibliography

for

Media Coverage of Dove World Controversy: An Alternative Needed?

Paper Proposal

For this research paper, I plan to critique the local print media’s coverage of the now-cancelled Quran burning by the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, FL. Specifically, I am interested in how The Gainesville Sun provided information on Dove World leader Terry Jones compared to the alternative, literary journalism approach utilized by The New York Times. I will provide evidence that, in this particular case study, literary journalism might have provided a clearer and deeper understanding of this seemingly insignificant sectarian conflict turned global controversy.

             

Method

For the purpose of this paper, I will conduct a content analysis to examine the characteristics of communication in The Gainesville Sun, a New York Times affiliate, compared to the coverage provided in The New York Times. I will map out the timeline of the first article printed by the Gainesville Sun to the ongoing coverage of the planned event and its aftermath. The process will be repeated with The New York Times’ coverage.

1)    I will first select the titles I want to sample from The Gainesville Sun and The New York Times.

2)    I will then outline the dates to sample these articles (from the first story on Dove World regarding tax status and, later, “Islam is of the Devil” signs and shirts to current, ongoing coverage).

3)    I will then select my units of analysis, or, what will be examined to determine which articles use words that either credit or discredit Terry Jones.

4)    Units of analysis will then be assigned to predetermined categories.

5)    I will then compare which news source offers more of a crediting or discrediting of Terry Jones.

(Working) References:

Cave, D. (2010). Far from Ground Zero, obscure pastor is ignored no longer. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2010, at:

      http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/26/us/26gainesville.html?scp=7&sq=terry%20jones,%20dove%20world&st=cse

This article is the New York Times’ effort to examine Terry Jones using literary journalism techniques while discussing the global spotlight turning on the Gainesville church.

Fisher, L., & Voyles, K. (2010). Anti-Islam church signs stirs up community outrage. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2010, from:

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090708/ARTICLES/907081008

This article was the first written by The Gainesville Sun in July 2009 when Dove World’s first “Islam is of the Devil” sign first surfaced in Gainesville. This will mark the beginning of the timeline covered for the content analysis.

Frank, R. (2003). Folklore in a Hurry: The community experience narrative in newspaper coverage of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Journal of American Folklore, 116, 159-75. doi: 10.1353/jaf.2003.0024

This academic article examines how personal experience narratives are staples of newspaper reporting. The article states, “though the stories are elicited, summarized, and retold in the third person as community experience narratives, they retain their power to make sense of experience and to bind readers into a symbolic community. This study examines coverage of the Loma Prieta earthquake in San Francisco newspapers.

Goodwin, J., & Jasper, J. M. (2009). The social movements reader: Cases and concepts. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

This book contains analyses, articles and book selections on social movements from recent decades. Specifically, this book will provide information on sectarian conflict.

McQuail, D. (2005). McQuail's mass communication theory. London: Sage Publications.

This book provides information on theories in the field of mass communication, covering the major components of mass communication and how its theories relate to the “broader understanding of society and culture.”

Moore, K.C., Smith, C. (2010). Jones goes from obscurity to world stage. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2010 from:

      http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100912/ARTICLES/100919857/1118?Title=Jones-goes-from-obscurity-to-world-stage

This article examines how, “in a matter of weeks, Terry Jones went from delivering sermons to about 30 people in his warehouse-like church in northwest Gainesville to being burned in effigy on the streets of Afghanistan's capital.” The article references and notes initial stories the newspaper ran on the Dove World Outreach Center.

Moore, K.C. (2010). After Dove World protests, city returns to relative quiet. Retrieved on Sept. 13, 2010, from:

      http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100913/ARTICLES/100919805/1118?Title=After-Dove-World-protests-city-returns-to-relative-quiet

This article delves into the aftermath of the planned Quran burning and briefly discusses the story’s reach nationwide.

Rubin, R. B., Rubin, A. M., & Piele, L. J. (2010). Communication research: Strategies and sources. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Thomson Learning.

This book provides information on communication research strategies for the field of communication studies. Specifically, I will use this book’s information on how to perform a content analysis.

Sims, N. (1990). Literary journalism in the twentieth century. New York: Oxford University Press.

This book is a collection of critical essays on literary journalism that “address the shifting border between fiction and nonfiction, literature and journalism.”

Stelter, B. (2010) Coverage of Koran case stirs questions on media role. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2010, from : http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/us/10media.html?_r=3&ref=todayspaper

This article examines how Terry Jones was able to “put himself at the center of those issues by using the news lull of summer and the demands of a 24-hour news cycle to promote his anti-Islam cause.” The Times article blames the summer news lull and the heightened anti-Muslim sentiment due to the controversy over a mosque designated to be built near Ground Zero.