Reframing a community in crisis: an Intersectional discourse analysis of media responses to state of emergency declarations in Attawapiskat

Abstract

ABSTRACT During the height of the Idle No More movement over the winter of 2012–2013, then Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence undertook a ceremonial fast, widely framed by the mainstream Canadian media as a hunger strike. This event responded to a housing related State of Emergency declaration in her community. During the cold Canadian winter, for six-weeks Chief Spence survived on medicinal fish broth and tea while catalyzing unprecedented social mobilization. Her actions sparked dialogue about the failures of the Canadian government and the general public to understand and uphold treaty relations. From an interpretive critical policy studies perspective, this paper presents an intersectional discourse analysis of mainstream coverage of her community and highlights themes of crisis, accountability and blame. In doing so, this paper seeks to interrupt these hegemonic frames with an account alternative counterstories grounded in community voices. Drawing upon interpretive policy analysis this paper argues that these predominant frames misrepresented Spence’s core request: a revitalized dialogue about treaty relations. Spence’s story and the voices of community-members speak back to and intervene upon the colonial status quo in Canada. This paper presents some insights and lessons learned for critical policy studies based on counterstories articulated in a community-engaged mixed media storytelling research project entitled Reimagining Attawapiskat.