In recent years, there have been repeated reports of police violence or inequality towards African Americans in the media. The example of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick shows that the world of sports did not remain untouched. His protest beginning in August of 2016 has split the American society between those who see him as an activist for the American people and those who see him as an unpatriotic traitor to his own country.
The aim of this master’s thesis is to answer the question which arguments are made use of by both ends of the spectrum and which of the two perspectives is in the majority. The related research question is how Kaepernick’s protest has been perceived since its inception in 2016 and which changes have occurred up to the end of 2022.
In order to answer this question, selected statements from both sides will be drawn upon in order to show how a former CIA employee or former presidents of the United States perceived the protest. By taking studies from newspapers and the online community on Twitter into account, further insights into the issue will be provided to find out how users of these two media outlets view the protest. Finally, an analysis of newer interventions (2019-2022) will be presented.
The analysis has shown that the flag of the United States and the feeling of devotion and gratitude to one’s own country are the main reasons for choosing a side on the subject. At the beginning of the protest, Kaepernick was viewed positively by the print media, while the online community was largely in disfavor. This picture changed, however, as the media in 2022 mostly report neutrally about him, while positive reactions are gaining the upper hand on Twitter.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Colin Kaepernick and the Protest
- Biography of Colin Kaepernick
- Initial Protest and Development
- Platform, Former Protests and Struggles of Athletes of Color
- The Platform of an Athlete
- Former Protests by Athletes of Color
- Sociocultural Struggles of Athletes of Color
- Reactions to Kaepernick's Protest
- Positive Reactions
- Negative Reactions
- Selected Studies on the Topic
- Newspaper Framing (Boykoff/Carrington 2019)
- Twitter Analysis (Yoo et al. 2018)
- Newspaper Survey (Murty et al. 2018 and The Huffington Post)
- Study among College Students (Murty et al. 2018)
- Continuation of Aforementioned Studies (2019-2022)
- Twitter: #Kaepernick
- Twitter: #Colin Kaepernick
- Twitter: #KapSoBlack, #VeteransForKaepernick and #InKaepWeTrust
- Twitter: Results
- Newspapers: The Los Angeles Times
- Newspapers: The New York Times
- Newspapers: USA Today
- Newspapers: The Washington Post
- Newspapers: Results
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This master's thesis aims to analyze the various reactions towards Colin Kaepernick's protest, starting in August 2016 and extending to the present day. The research seeks to understand how Kaepernick's protest has been perceived by the American public and how the distribution of positive, negative, and neutral stances toward the topic has evolved. Ultimately, it aims to answer whether and how reactions toward the protest have changed over the past six years.
- The impact of athlete protests on social issues
- The complex perceptions and reactions to Kaepernick's protest within American society
- The role of media and social media in shaping public opinion
- The enduring significance of racial inequality and police brutality in the United States
- The power dynamics and challenges faced by athletes of color
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter provides a brief overview of the thesis's scope, research question, and goals. It outlines the structure of the thesis, highlighting the key sections and their content.
- Colin Kaepernick and the Protest: This chapter introduces Colin Kaepernick, the main subject of the thesis, through a biographical overview. It details his early life, athletic career, and the events leading to his protest against police brutality and racial inequality.
- Platform, Former Protests and Struggles of Athletes of Color: This chapter explores the significance of athletes' platforms in advocating for social change. It provides examples of former protests by athletes of color, highlighting the historical context and the sociocultural struggles that contribute to their activism.
- Reactions to Kaepernick's Protest: This chapter analyzes the diverse reactions to Kaepernick's protest, examining both positive and negative perspectives. It includes viewpoints from various segments of American society, such as former CIA members, athletes, politicians, and citizens.
- Selected Studies on the Topic: This chapter presents findings from various studies that examined public perceptions of Kaepernick's protest. The studies analyzed newspaper framing, Twitter sentiment, newspaper surveys, and perceptions among college students.
- Continuation of Aforementioned Studies (2019-2022): This chapter extends the analysis by conducting independent research based on data from Twitter and selected newspapers. It investigates whether the findings of the previous studies have changed since their conclusion.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This thesis focuses on the key topics of athlete activism, Colin Kaepernick's protest, racial inequality, police brutality, media framing, social media sentiment, public opinion, and the dynamics of race and power in American society.
- Quote paper
- Lukas Wieltschnig (Author), 2022, Taking a Knee for Change. Colin Kaepernick between Activism and (Anti-)Patriotism, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1380354
