Signs of crisis and recovery: Geographical imaginaries in press coverage of the financial crisis in the UK and German press 2008–2009

Abstract

This article examines the role of models of capitalism in the media coverage surrounding the economic crisis in the period 2008–2009 in the UK and German press, during the outbreak of the crisis and the beginning of the ‘recovery’ from it. Models of capitalism are conceived of as ‘geographical imaginaries’, discursive entities by means of which nations mediate their economic fortunes vis-à-vis global capitalism. By drawing upon historical narratives and stereotypical attributions of national character, these models legitimize courses of political and economic action. A Critical Discourse Analysis of media texts is carried out in selected periods of the crisis in these two countries whose economic models have been held to be opposing ‘geographical adversaries’ in the history of neoliberalism. The article draws conclusions about the nature of ‘recovery’ from the point of view of such geographical imaginaries, and their importance in the continued dominance of neoliberalism.