Representations of Women by Male and Female Opinion Writers in Private Egyptian Online Newspapers: An Analytical Study within the Framework of the Social Representations Theory

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Associate Professor in journalism and digital media department – Faculty of Mass Communication- Cairo University.

Abstract

The study aimed to monitor, analyze, and interpret the social representations of women by male and female opinion writers in private Egyptian online newspapers—specifically Al-Masry Al-Youm and Youm7—during the period from March 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025. The research was grounded in Serge Moscovici’s Theory of Social Representations, and employed the survey method. It relied on a guided qualitative content analysis tool to conduct a comprehensive survey of the selected sample within the specified timeframe. One of the key findings of the study is that representations of women in opinion articles are clearly shaped by gendered influences. Female writers tend to produce critical and analytical representations that reframe women as active social agents within a complex reality. In contrast, male writers often reproduce traditional content that reinforces stereotypical images. This contrast aligns with the Theory of Social Representations, which posits that the perception and reconstruction of reality in discourse are influenced by individual and social factors, and are reproduced through mechanisms such as "objectification" and "anchoring." The findings highlight the role of female writers in resisting dominant representations and advancing a more inclusive and just discourse on women’s issues.

Keywords

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics