JoLIE 15:4/2022

FRAMING EDUCATION THROUGH METAPHOR: THE TRIANGULAR RELATIONSHIP OF STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND GOVERNMENT IN UK AND US MEDIA DURING COVID-19[1]

Cristina Joldeș

1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, Romania

Abstract

This paper explores metaphorical conceptualisations of education in British and American newspapers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on the perspectives of students, parents, and the government, the study examines how metaphors reflect and shape public discourse on education during a time of crisis. The analysis is based on a corpus of approximately 9,000 words, drawn from The Economist, Financial Times, and The Guardian, and covers articles published between January and March 2021—during the pandemic’s second wave. These articles, aimed at a general readership, discuss various aspects of school closures, remote learning, and policy decisions. The study aims to uncover how education was framed metaphorically in two distinct cultural and economic contexts: the United Kingdom and the United States.

Key words: Metaphor; Education, COVID-19 pandemic; British and American press; Corpus analysis.

References

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Jack, A. (2020, December 10). Pandemic creates a ‘learning crisis’ in parallel to health emergency. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/5ed0d046-467e-495f-b67e-b1aa0dc23fcc

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Corpus

Adams, R. (2021, March 11). Heads in England fear pushy parents will demand better exam grades. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/mar/11/heads-in-england-fear-pushy-parents-will-demand-better-exam-grades

Elgot, J., Weale, S., & Allegretti, A. (2021, March 8). Return to schools could alter Covid roadmap, Boris Johnson warns. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/08/return-to-schools-could-alter-covid-roadmap-boris-johnson-warns

Fazackerley, A. (2021, March 13). ‘Treated like cash cows’: International students at top London universities withhold £29,000 fees. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/mar/13/treated-like-cash-cows-international-students-at-top-london-universities-withhold-29000-fees

Malpass, D. (2020, December 10). World Bank: Four steps to equitable education. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/9797cd5a-6bf8-4a82-b27c-2010e069752b

Mangan, L. (2021, March 12). Digested week: I can see the light at the end of my lockdown tunnel. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/12/i-can-see-chinks-of-light-at-the-end-of-my-lockdown-tunnel

Staufenberg, J. (2021, March 13). A community of equals: The private school with no fees, set up by a south London teacher. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/mar/13/a-community-of-equals-the-private-school-with-no-fees-set-up-by-a-south-london-teacher

The Economist. (2021, February 27). Time to reopen the school gates. https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/02/27/time-to-reopen-the-school-gates

The Economist. (2021, February 4). The struggle over reopening Chicago’s schools. The Economist. https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/02/04/the-struggle-over-reopening-chicagos-schools

How to cite this paper: Joldeș, C. (2022). Framing education through metaphor: The triangular relationship of students, parents, and government in UK and US media during Covid-19. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 15(4), 45–64. https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2022.15.4.3

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[1] This paper was developed as part of the MA course Metaphorology in Contemporary Media, taught by Professor Teodora Popescu during the 2021–2022 academic year at 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, Romania.