On the (Re)Construction of Corruption in the Media: A Critical Discursive Approach

摘要: Although corruption has become a hot topic in organizational research, few studies have examined how it is socially constructed. To partially bridge this gap, the present paper takes critical discursive perspective on representation of media. The empirical focus media coverage scandal that revolved around two instances formal charges and successive acquittals. Based analysis, exemplifies makes sense gives to controversial activities response changing at times contradictory information. In particular, highlights interplay between four dominant discourses—transgression, political, public scapegoating, individualistic—that were mobilized throughout coverage. These discourses intimately linked with wider dynamics problematizing restorative framings thus provided crucial means reconstructing reformulating (il)legitimacy reported scandal. While findings are context specific, study suggests similar important aspects sensemaking related corruption.