Research Letter of Political Science

Media and Politics: A Comparative Study of the Representation Politics of Shargh and Keyhan Newspapers during 12-day Iran-Israel war

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Fateme Aghaei Rezvani 1
Hadi Noori 2

1 Cultural Sociology, Guilan University, Guilan, Iran

2 Department of sociology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

10.22034/ipsa.2026.560
Abstract
This study offers a deconstructive analysis of the headline structures in Kayhan and Shargh newspapers during the 12-day Iran–Israel war. Guided by a Derridean framework and employing Bouchet’s eight-step methodology for identifying and interrogating textual oppositions, the research delineates the hierarchical configurations produced within each outlet’s discursive formation. The findings indicate that Kayhan elevates the ruling minority to a position of discursive dominance while relegating ordinary citizens to subordinate roles. Shargh, by contrast, inverts these positions; however, its alignment with the marginalized remains limited.
Moreover, Kayhan’s integrated militaristic lexicon and its articulation of an external threat reflect a war-oriented ideological orientation that obscures the social consequences of the conflict for urban civilian life. Shargh adopts a more oriented and anti-war narrative, yet its centralism results in the marginalization of experiences outside Tehran and the erasure of the war’s effects on non-Tehrani populations. The absence of ordinary Israeli civilians from its coverage suggests that Shargh does not depart from hegemonic ideological frameworks. Ultimately, the principal distinction between the two newspapers lies in Shargh’s focus on everyday life within a war-stricken Tehran, as opposed to Kayhan’s efforts to fortify and legitimize the ideological foundations of the wartime front.

Keywords

Deconstruction
12-Day War
Israel
Kayhan newspaper
Shargh newspaper, War Narratives
Subjects
Research Letter of Political Science

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 24 June 2026

  • Receive Date 05 March 2026
  • Revise Date 09 May 2026
  • Accept Date 11 May 2026

Home

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Reviewers

Contact Us