Media discourses of the Ukrainian refugees during the war in Ukraine

Abstract

Aim: Our main objective was to follow the narrative and de ter­mine the media discourses during the coverage of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the country by three different online news reporting websites: BBC, CNN, and Al Jazeera, each covering distinct geographic areas relevant to the investigation. Methods: Using critical discourse analysis, we conducted this study at three levels by using descriptions, interpreta­tions, and social analysis. Given the extensive scope of the subject, we had to restrict the volume of data (media arti­cles) considered for analysis. A total of six articles from Al Jazeera, nine from CNN, and four from the BBC were metic­ulously analyzed, covering the period from the beginning of the invasion (February 24, 2022) until the end of the year (December 31, 2022). Results: All analyzed media texts portrayed the Ukrainian refugees as safe, educated, and civilized, with the notion that Ukrainian refugees are welcome. The analysis demon­strates different strategies adopted by the media, where CNN attempted to evoke empathy and compassion among the readers, while the BBC and Al Jazeera focused on pre­senting verifiable facts and numerical data. However, in contrast to the BBC and CNN, Al Jazeera was critical of all the state actors on a European and global level and per­ceived that double standards were imposed among the key players. Namely, the classification of actors in the analysis shows how the media created an ‘in­group’ (Ukrainian refu­gees, Europe) and an ‘out­group’ (Russians, other refugees), where the European Union (EU) is considered as the actor that promotes European solidarity and peace. The only oc­casional criticism aimed at the EU came via Al Jazeera. Conclusion: Critical discourse analysis applied in this re­search through the three-dimensional approach clearly demonstrates the role of the media in producing and dis­tributing narratives that determine how Ukrainian refugees are represented. Since the beginning of the war, the media have collectively used respectful language towards the ref­ugees, creating a narrative that Ukraine belongs to an ‘in­group’ representative of European values and norms. Such discourses emphasize the superiority of European values.