Leiden University Student Repository

Eckardt, Sarah (2023)

Migration and Securitization: Critical Discourse Analysis of the Portrayal of Ukrainian Refugees in East and West German Newspapers

Bachelor thesis | Security Studies (BSc)

This thesis aims to further refine the existing academic knowledge about the framing of refugees by conducting a critical discourse analysis focused on the portrayal of Ukrainian refugees at a subnational level in East and West German newspapers utilizing securitization theory as a theoretical framework (n=48). The analysis found that Ukrainians are framed from a German-centric perspective. On the one hand, they are framed as vulnerable, requiring German aid. On the other hand, their mass migration into Germany is associated with challenges and threats utilized in securitizing moves. This suggests that the frequently cited victim and threat frames are not as mutually exclusive as previous academic literature suggests. Moreover, the threats utilized in securitizing moves are nonexistential, supporting calls for broadening the securitization framework. Contrary to what the initial hypothesis would suggest, no significant differences in the portrayal of Ukrainian refugees between...Show moreThis thesis aims to further refine the existing academic knowledge about the framing of refugees by conducting a critical discourse analysis focused on the portrayal of Ukrainian refugees at a subnational level in East and West German newspapers utilizing securitization theory as a theoretical framework (n=48). The analysis found that Ukrainians are framed from a German-centric perspective. On the one hand, they are framed as vulnerable, requiring German aid. On the other hand, their mass migration into Germany is associated with challenges and threats utilized in securitizing moves. This suggests that the frequently cited victim and threat frames are not as mutually exclusive as previous academic literature suggests. Moreover, the threats utilized in securitizing moves are nonexistential, supporting calls for broadening the securitization framework. Contrary to what the initial hypothesis would suggest, no significant differences in the portrayal of Ukrainian refugees between Eastern and Western German newspapers were observed.Show less

Critical Discourse Analysis

Securitization Theory

Migration

Author

Eckardt, Sarah

Faculty

Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs

Supervisors

Abisso, M.

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en