Metaphors Everywhere! The Power of Metaphors in the Media

Metaphors play a crucial role in the media society. They are omnipresent in newspaper articles, political speeches, advertising slogans, and on social media. Together with Dr. Tim Karis, the school students from Waltrop explored the question of how metaphors affect the perception of such discourses.

• Using examples from religion, sport, politics, and music, the pupils examined how metaphor, as a linguistic figure, creates a link between two conceptual domains ("semantic domains") to present complex ideas in an accessible and vivid way. Metaphors create images in our minds, such as soccer players who are supposed to be "saviors," politicians who need to do their "homework," and music fans who make "pilgrimages" to concerts.
• In the School lab, participants explored how these and similar metaphors can influence our emotions, opinions, and decisions. Special attention was given to religious metaphors in social debates. They analyzed how metaphorical references to religious concepts are used to create emotional impact or claim moral authority.

After its successful premiere, the CRC 1475 School Lab will be integrated into the general program of the Alfried Krupp School Lab. The goal is to impart knowledge about media mechanisms, critically question media content, and develop an understanding of the power of metaphor.