USA

This dissertation analyzed how the media on both sides of the U.S. - Mexico border portrayed the issue of gun traffic king’s into Mexico and its impact on Mexico’s border violence. National newspapers from both sides of the U.S.- Mexico border were analyzed from January 2009 through January 2012, The New York Times for the U.S. and El Universal for Mexico, which resulted in a sample of 602 newspaper articles. Qualitative research methods were utilized to collect and analyze the data, specifically content analysis. Drawing on a theoretical framework of social problems and framing this study addressed how gun trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border impacted the drug related violence that is ongoing in Mexico, how gun trafficking was portrayed as a social problem by the media, and how the media depicted the victims of drug related violence.