ABSTRACT
This chapter examines narratives prevalent in the Polish press during the initial stages of the COVID-19 outbreak (March–May 2020). The focus is on reconstructing the dominant frames of argumentation about the pandemic's socio-economic impact, particularly the anticipated economic crisis and its consequences for the Polish economy. Using moral panic and critical discourse analysis, the research explores how major Polish newspapers fuelled the fear of an economic crisis, amplifying business elites' voices while marginalising the workers' perspective.
The study acknowledges the influence of the neo-liberal economic paradigm in shaping the Polish public debate, favouring free market logic and entrepreneur-centric perspectives while silencing workers' voices. Employing a discursive-historical analysis approach, the research uncovers hidden structures ingrained in media discourse stemming from the neo-liberal doxa.
By combining the concept of moral panic with press discourse analysis, the research addresses a literature gap by examining the COVID-19 pandemic from this perspective. Ultimately, the study contributes to understanding how press discourse shapes public perceptions and policy directions during crises, revealing the interplay between economic interests, political positioning, and collective interpretations in Polish society.
