Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

17 p.

Publication Date

2007

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Source Publication

Critical Studies in Media Communication

Source ISSN

1479-5809

Original Item ID

doi: 10.1080/07393180701694655

Abstract

National news media represent mothers of US combat soldiers in the Iraq War as archetypal good mothers, that is, mothers who continue their maternal work even after their children are deployed. However, not all mothers are depicted as the archetypal patriotic mother, i.e., a good mother who is also stoic and silent about the war and her child's role in it. Mothers of soldiers are portrayed as good mothers who sometimes also voice their attitudes about the war effort. The maternal attitudes ranged from complete support for the war to opposition to the war but support for the soldiers. The findings suggest a picture of wartime motherhood that is more nuanced than the historical image of the patriotic mother suggests.

Comments

Accepted version. Critical Studies in Media Communication, Vol. 24, No. 5 (2007): 429-445. DOI. © 2007 Taylor & Francis (Routledge). Used with permission.

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