From The ‘Gram to Global Intifada: The Media’s Role in Shaping Views on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Abstract

This thesis investigates how media framing shapes American perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It introduces the concept of Strategic Victim Identity Activation (SVIA), a process by which identity cues—gender, ethnicity, and nationality—are used to influence emotional responses and political attitudes. Drawing on literature from media theory, social psychology, and international relations, the study explores how victimhood is not a static condition but a constructed identity designed to gain moral legitimacy. Using an original survey experiment with 1,500 Americans, participants were exposed to news excerpts framed with varying identity markers. Results show that low-familiarity respondents were most affected by layered identity frames, demonstrating increased concern and support for victimized groups. High-familiarity respondents showed more fixed attitudes, likely shaped by long-term exposure and preexisting biases. The findings reveal that cumulative identity framing can intensify polarization, especially in digital media environments where emotionally charged content is prioritized. By highlighting how victimhood is performed and perceived through media, this thesis offers new insight into the politics of sympathy, the role of narrative in foreign policy opinion, and the deeper structures driving American responses to global conflict