Vaccines: saving lives or depopulating the world? A discourse analysis
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Simona Vulpe [1]
Maria-Steluța Stoian [2]
| Abstract: In the present paper, we have analyzed the discourse of four pro and anti-vaccine Facebook pages, in order to understand how the discourse of each party is constructed and to observe the main similarities and differences between them, employing a netnographical approach. Using Netvizz, we have collected data about the three posts with the largest engagement score from each of the four Facebook pages, two being anti, and two pro-vaccine. We have analyzed the discourse of each post in terms of appeal to senses or rationality, types and tone of used language, personal or institutional communication and the appearance of claims in support of alternative medicine, among other indicators. We have noticed that the discourses of pro and anti-vaccine pages have both similarities, the most prominent being the trust / distrust in the health system dichotomy, and differences, best represented by types and sources of argumentation. Keywords: Vaccines, Facebook page, netnography, pro-vaccination, anti-vaccination |
[1] Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania, mona.vulpe@gmail.com
[2] Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania, stoianmaria28@gmail.com