Eating Disorders in Public Discourse: Exploring Media Representations and Lived Experiences

This edited volume explores the complex relationship between eating disorders, public discourse, and lived experiences, bringing together researchers from communication, journalism, linguistics, mental health, nursing, psychology, and public health. It examines topics such as stigmatizing narrative frames, stereotypes, and metaphors, identity construction in online spaces, media representations, and how parents write about caring for children with eating disorders. The volume synthesizes evidence from various data types and cultural perspectives and will be of interest to academics, practitioners, students, mental health advocates, and anyone interested in understanding eating disorders.

Format: Hardback
Length: 362 pages
Publication date: 24 January 2023
Publisher: University of Exeter Press

Eating disorders continue to be poorly understood by the general public, and sensationalist media stories have done little to challenge simplistic and reductionist perspectives. This edited volume employs a diverse range of language-centered approaches to offer much-needed critical in-depth analysis and interdisciplinary synthesis. The book brings together researchers from various disciplinary fields, including communication and information studies, journalism, linguistics, mental health, nursing, psychology, and public health, in a collaborative effort to explore the intricate interplay between eating disorders, public discourse, and lived experiences. Topics addressed include the use of stigmatizing narrative frames, stereotypes, and metaphors; identity construction in online spaces; how individuals affected by eating disorders interpret media representations; and how parents write about their experiences caring for children with eating disorders. The volume synthesizes evidence from a diverse range of data sources, including UK and international newspapers, social media, online communities, blogs, forums, apps, and in-depth interviews, reflecting a variety of cultural perspectives, including those held in the United States, the UK, Spain, and Turkey. It will be of interest to academics, practitioners, students, mental health advocates, and anyone interested in understanding how we make sense of eating disorders.

Weight: 730g
Dimension: 164 x 242 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781804130094