A Critical Discourse Analysis on the Reporting of the Ukrainian Refugees Fleeing the Russian Invasion : The Notions of Eurocentrism and Othering in Mainstream Media.

Sammanfattning: On the 24th of February Russia invaded Ukraine from multiple directions, causing a sudden influx of Ukrainians fleeing the country to the EU territories to be safe from the war. The reactions from the neighboring countries were uncharacteristically welcoming and humanitarian aid was promptly delivered to the ones in need. This creates a contrast to the refugees coming from outside Europe and their treatment. This thesis utilizes a three-dimensional Critical Discourse Analysis to examine the discourse on Ukrainian refugees in Deutsche Welle and Aljazeera in the days following the start of the invasion. Poststructural theory of power and identity constructions is employed to uncover hidden assumptions and knowledge production in the discourse. I argue that the notions of Eurocentrism and Eurocentric views on identities are prevailing in the discourse and that this emphasis on Europe as the in-group deepens the divide between the out-group.