Racial stereotyping of indigenous people in the Canadian media: A comparative analysis of two water pollution incidents

Abstract

This article examines the discourse surrounding issues affecting Indigenous peoples within the Canadian mainstream media. We compare the coverage of two cases of water poisonings—one in a primarily‐white town and the other in an Indigenous community—in 282 newspaper articles from the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, the National Post, and Windspeaker. We show that the dominant coverage of these two very similar cases diverged significantly. The Indigenous workers in charge of the water supply were regarded as incompetent and incapable to fill their position while the entire community was described as drunk, lazy, helpless, and perpetually dependent on government aide. By contrast, white workers were seen as relatable and in command of their erroneous actions, while the residents of the town were described simply as the victims of an unfortunate tragedy. Such reporting fails to contextualize the events or point out the injustices of Canadian colonialism, thus contributing to the perpetuation of these injustices.

What culturally safe cancer care means to Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation

“…Participants in this study experienced racism through stereotyping, lack of trust, and lack of services and supports that value First Nations People with cancer. Based on their race and affiliation(s) leads to stereotyping and perpetuating marginalization (Burns & Shor, 2021), participants discussed how many of the stereotyping perceptions that western healthcare professionals have about First Nations People, such as seeking drugs under the guise of illness, prevent them from interacting with the health system. As mentioned, although this form of racism is experienced at an interpersonal level, it is directly linked to the social, political, and economic arrangements instilled through colonialism.…”

Symbolic boundary work: Jewish and Arab femicide in Israeli Hebrew newspapers

“…However, studies on the media coverage of indigenous minorities in other countries suggest that this has often not been the case. Media coverage of indigenous populations in liberal democracies like Canada (Burns & Shor, 2021) and New Zealand (Abel, 2013) often emphasizes violence, poverty, incompetence, and cultural inadequacies. Furthermore, despite their indigenous status, Palestinian Israeli citizens experience substantial discrimination and are largely excluded from Israeli sociopolitical centers of power and decision making (Lewin et al, 2006).…”

“…However, studies on the media coverage of indigenous minorities in other countries suggest that this has often not been the case. Media coverage of indigenous populations in liberal democracies like Canada (Burns & Shor, 2021) and New Zealand (Abel, 2013) often emphasizes violence, poverty, incompetence, and cultural inadequacies.…”

Indigenous Victims with Mental Illness: The Influence of Stereotypes and Stigma on Mock-Juror Perceptions

“…The negative stereotypes against Indigenous people and alcohol use have been further highlighted in research by Burns and Shor (2021) who compared a media case of a water poisoning that happened in Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. The Indigenous workers in the Indigenous community case were displayed as being incompetent, and the community members were regarded as drunk, helpless, and lazy.…”

“…The Indigenous workers in the Indigenous community case were displayed as being incompetent, and the community members were regarded as drunk, helpless, and lazy. In contrast, the White workers in the White community were viewed as being relatable, and the White community members were viewed as victims of an unfortunate tragedy (Burns & Shor, 2021). The current thesis will examine stereotypes about Indigenous people with mental illness.…”