Leiden University Student Repository

Tomsjansen, Charissa (2023)

A Dilemma that will Always Be: Are Refugees Unwelcome? An Analysis of the Rhetoric of Dutch Political Party Leaders

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

Based on the Rhetorical Political Analysis, this thesis examines rhetoric used by Dutch political party leaders on their attitude towards refugees during the ‘migration crisis’ and after this crisis. This thesis will be adding to the literature on the increase of anti-immigration attitudes and the Dutch immigration discourse. However, the thesis will focus on what is missing in this literature and that is how political party discourse and speeches by Dutch party leaders promote the acceptance or refusal of refugees. The data were collected through the rhetoric of Dutch political party leaders Geert Wilders and Jesse Klaver. Results suggest that despite the similarities in rhetorical arguments, the ideologies of the party leaders are distinct both before and after the ‘migration crisis’.

Rhetoric

rhetorical political analysis

Europe’s migration crisis

refugees

Author

Tomsjansen, Charissa

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Europe

Supervisors

Dam, H.D.J. van

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en