Archetypes of terrorism in symbolic interactions with the media

Abstract

The article examines the sociocultural mechanisms of the symbolic construction of archetypal images of terrorism in the contemporary information space. It highlights the role of the mass media as an institutional channel, filter, and interpreter of social reality, as well as the ways in which audiences assign social meanings to media-mediated images of terrorism. The study aims to identify the features of the formation and interpretation of archetypal images of terrorism within symbolic interactions between the mass media and audiences. The theoretical framework combines symbolic interactionism, represented by H. Blumer and G.H. Mead, with C.G. Jung’s archetypal approach. The empirical basis is a pilot qualitative study comprising semi-structured in-depth interviews (n = 8) conducted in December 2024. The data was systematised through thematic coding across five analytical blocks covering primary associations, the profile of a terrorist, zoomorphic and familial projections, and images from popular culture. Recurrent symbolic characteristics of the terrorist image were identified in respondents’ accounts, together with the coexistence of an ethnically marked stereotype and an anonymised image of the “faceless enemy”, interpreted archetypally through the Shadow. The article proposes a heuristic typology of terrorist imagery adapted from J.S. Bolen’s archetypal models (Ares, Poseidon, Dionysus, Hermes, Hades, and Hephaestus). The findings are not statistically representative and are regarded as a basis for hypothesis generation for further research into media representations of terrorism. The practical significance lies in the potential use of the archetypal matrix to analyse manipulative narratives, develop media literacy, and assess risks of informational and psychological influence.