Behind the photos and the tears: media images, neoliberal discourses, racialized constructions of space and school closings in Chicago

Abstract

This critical article provides insights into how media frames influence our understandings of school reform in urban spaces by examining images of students during the 2013 school closings in Chicago. Using visual framing analysis and informed by framing theory and critiques of neoliberalism we seek to explore two questions: (1) What role do media images play in the framing of public education in urban spaces?; and (2) What do media images of students during the 2013 school closings in Chicago tell us about the framing of neoliberal education reforms in urban spaces?

Keywords:

• urban education
• Chicago
• school closings
• media images
• neoliberal policies
• race
• emotions