Journalism and formation of argument

Abstract

This article is an attempt to offer a model for the analysis of a journalistic argument. The model of analysis applied in this research is the result of a combination of two theoretical models: Van Dijk’s model of editorials and the model of argument developed by Toulmin. Although the article – conceptualized as a comparative media study – tested the offered model of analysis on newspaper editorials, the model is designed as a master template, flexible enough to accommodate requirements for the analysis of a journalistic argument delivered via different media platforms. The proposed model of analysis is applied to editorials on the Yugoslav conflicts of the 1990s published by two newspapers, the American The New York Times and the Serbian Politika. The results of the analysis will contribute to a better understanding of how journalists conceptualize justice in times of conflicts and the role a journalistic argument plays in the wider public debate on armed conflicts.