“Real Refugees” – Critical analysis of responses towards Ukrainian refugees within Germany

• In Event: Criminology of Mobility. Panel 5. Narratives and lived experiences of refugees, asylum seekers & migrants

Abstract

The refugee movement triggered by the war in Ukraine received overwhelming empathy and support in Germany. While “irregular migration” from other countries was met with increasing restrictiveness as well as criminalization the urgency to support Ukrainian refugees remained indisputable. In 2022 approximately 1.2 million people sought refuge in Germany – about 1 million of them originating from Ukraine.
Employing situational analysis (A. Clarke) this phD project delves into media narratives concerning Ukrainian refugees within popular print media in Germany. The analysis aims to explore if refugees from different nationalities are narratively pitted against Ukrainian refugees within the media.
Interviews with agents working within the institutional and systemic sphere intend to explore whether these narratives influence social work and policymaking, investigating potential differentiated treatment. In this context, the question of the media’s role in shaping the political and institutional discourse to determine which individuals are considered to be "real refugees" deserving of support is being raised. Thus, the interviews check whether the popular narratives influence behaviours of social organisations and policy makers tasked with aiding refugees. Furthermore, the study gauges the awareness of those working with Ukrainian refugees in Germany regarding the possibility of differentiated behaviour towards different groups and seeks to identify its origins.
The study’s main goal is to clarify whether or not the different media narratives actually translate to Ukrainian refugees receiving a different treatment than refugees from other countries.

Author

• Ann-Sophie Maluck, Graduate School Universität Hamburg