Media and Migration: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Ukrainian Refugee Crisis in Western Print Media

Abstract

This research focused on analyzing the coverage of the Ukrainian refugee crisis in two Western newspapers, namely The New York Times and The Guardian. This study used a quantitative research approach. The CDA framework by van Dijk (2003) was used. The study analyzed a sample of ten headlines from each of the newspapers. This study applied the content analysis method, focusing on the discursive, ideological, and critical analysis of the headlines selected for the study. The analysis highlighted the importance of comparing media framing patterns. Since the refugees are from Ukraine, the New York Times’ coverage is sympathetic towards them, focusing on unity with the refugees. On the other hand, The Guardian appears to be more critical and exhaustive, as it describes various forms of the crisis and its political and social consequences. It is crucial to consider the message portrayed when addressing the issue of media representation of refugees and humanitarian crises. These findings helpful for gaining insight into how power relations work within the media and the specifics of refugees’ representation. This study helps the reader to understand the different ideologies and journalistic practices between the two newspapers, as well as how two different media houses presented a similar issue in two different ways. This research sees the media as instrumental in spurring humanitarian intervention and shaping perceptions of refugees. Thus, this investigation considerably enriches the knowledge of how refugees are portrayed in media and how these depictions affect the perception of the issue and enabling effective policy responses.