“It would be kinder to shoot them”: a critical discourse analysis of the animals farmed series in The Guardian

Abstract

This study conducted a critical discourse analysis on the Animals farmed series in The Guardian. To this end, the messages of the 196 articles from the launch of the series until April 20, 2020 and 8 articles from outside the series were analysed. Predominantly, the language of the series reinforces animal oppression by only asking how, not if, we should farm nonhuman animals. Some articles in the series show farmed animals’ suffering and workers’ ethical dilemmas, yet thorough challenges to animal oppression were only found outside the series. Thus, the study identified an underlying welfarist ideology throughout Animals farmed. Additionally, this study conducted a political economy analysis to explore the economic pressures behind the series. This analysis revealed links to the animal industry and philanthropy, which helps explain the findings. With these findings, the study contributes to critical animal and media studies and to journalism fighting animal oppression.