Primary Definers of Transformation? Actor Power and the Socio-Ecological Transformation Discourse in Austrian Media

Hendrik Theine () and Carlotta Verità ()
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Hendrik Theine: Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria
Carlotta Verità: Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria

No 176, ICAE Working Papers from Johannes Kepler University, Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy

Abstract: This contribution provides a first comprehensive mapping of the socio-ecological transformation (SET) landscape within the Austrian media (2015–2022). Utilizing a multi-layered mixed-methods framework that integrates Named Entity Recognition (NER), Structural Topic Modeling (STM), and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), we examine the “geography of voice” and the competing future-visions that define the mediated transformations. Our analysis reveals a landscape characterized by a dense institutional core where politicians and corporations command over 20% of total visibility, while civil society and international organizations remain less represented. This imbalance mirrors the thematic distribution of discourses, where structurally anchored themes like Nature/Biodiversity and Global Politics are increasingly backgrounded by sector-specific categories like Labour Market & Regulatory Policy. The Market-driven transition imaginary, driven by institutional and corporate actors, dominates material discourses like energy and mobility through techno-optimist framing. Conversely, Contested Disruptions pushed by civil society are frequently marginalized or relegated to cultural niches. By identifying significant silences regarding radical redistribution and the Majority World, we argue that the Austrian media landscape delineates the boundaries of the possible in the ecological crisis.

Date: 2026-02
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