Date of Award

2009

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Communication Studies

Keywords

Communication and the arts, Social sciences

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

Penal practices have shifted dramatically in Canada since the 1960s. Rehabilitation, which was once at the forefront of penal practice, has been put on the back-burner in favour of a more stringent method of penal reform. The National Post has identified with this punitive policy, and with Karla Homolka as their poster child, have crafted a long line of articles painting Canadian penitentiaries as "soft," using the imagery of both summer camps and country clubs. This research is informed by Michel Foucault's Discipline and Punish, which takes aim at modern penology by claiming that while it "tortures the soul" of the inmate, it also crafts a subtle control over the people of the nation. Norman Faircough's Critical Discourse Analysis is used to examine 75 articles from The National Post using the ProQuest search engine, to prove the syndicate's dedication to stringent penal reform.

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