Tancitaro’s autodefensa: the media representation of self-defence armed groups in Mexico

The hereby research is focused on media representation of the autodefensa in Tancitaro by news sources in the United States and in Mexico. It explores the ways in which masculinity is portrayed, seeking to outline the gender narratives that media representation follows. The research provides visual analysis focusing on the framing of the six photographs featured in news articles from the US and six photographs used in news articles from Mexico. The United States and the Mexican news sources show a subaltern masculinity but use different strategies to portray masculinity. These visual strategies build specific relationships between the viewer and the subject, which show the power dynamics and hegemonic gender narratives in media.