Indigenous environmental media coverage in Canada and the United States: A comparative critical discourse analysis

Abstract

This article presents a comparative exploration of news media portrayals of Indigenous environmental issues in Canada and the United States guided by a qualitative multimodal critical discourse analysis methodology. Theoretical framing was provided by Elliot Eisner’s three curricula, Antonio López’s visual literacy framework, and the broader fields of critical media literacy, environmental communication, and Indigenous media practice. This inquiry responded to recent media coverage of manifestations of resistance to environmental degradation and colonial (re-)encroachment in Indigenous territories on both sides of our shared borders such as the Keystone XL and Coastal GasLink pipelines, among others. Media portrayals of environmentally conscious Indigenous initiatives and collaborations such as the proliferation of renewable energy developments across Turtle Island/North America and the transborder Buffalo Treaty were also explored.