Abstract
Phenomena related to drug use constitute a heterogeneous and polysemic field, from which different objects, identities and social practices are constructed. This paper presents a documentary research based on Social Representations Theory, whose objective was to analyze the representational field of drugs in media. We analyzed 4516 articles from a newspaper with wide circulation in Brazil that had as its central theme issues related to drugs. Lexicometric analysis was carried out utilizing Iramuteq to reconstruct lexical classes related to specific field dimensions. Eight classes were interpreted, categorized and discussed. The results allowed to identify three thematic axes: socio-political regulation of the use, production and circulation of drugs; drug use, addiction and health; police and drug war in Brazil. The discussion highlights dimensions that give meaning to political-legal processes, international relations, social movements, entertainment, therapeutic practices, public policies, violence, crime and exclusion. Additionally, the phenomena of the field are linked to typical social categories (e.g., drug users and drug dealers); forms of deviance (e.g., addiction and crime); and social practices in public health and public security (e.g., treatment and imprisonment). The contents disseminated by these sorts of communication have a role in the creation of symbolic frames of reference that influence the orientation of social practices and attitudes towards phenomena related to drug use.
Keywords:
Drugs; Mass Media; Social Representations
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