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Narrative of Refugeeness in Sweden : Shifting representations over time

Abdelhady, Dalia LU orcid and Mårtensson, Minja (2025) p.225-251
Abstract
This study examines shifts in Swedish media representations of refugees over three decades by analyzing coverage of refugees from Yugoslavia (1992), Syria (2015), and Ukraine (2022) in the newspaper Dagens Nyheter. Through frame analysis, the research reveals how media narratives reconcile Sweden’s humanitarian self-image with increasingly restrictive refugee policies. While institutional responsibility remains the dominant frame across all periods, representing 65 percent of coverage, significant variations emerge in the portrayal of different refugee groups. Coverage of Yugoslav refugees focused on bureaucratic management and deservingness, Syrian refugee coverage emphasized both humanitarian concerns and security threats, and Ukrainian... (More)
This study examines shifts in Swedish media representations of refugees over three decades by analyzing coverage of refugees from Yugoslavia (1992), Syria (2015), and Ukraine (2022) in the newspaper Dagens Nyheter. Through frame analysis, the research reveals how media narratives reconcile Sweden’s humanitarian self-image with increasingly restrictive refugee policies. While institutional responsibility remains the dominant frame across all periods, representing 65 percent of coverage, significant variations emerge in the portrayal of different refugee groups. Coverage of Yugoslav refugees focused on bureaucratic management and deservingness, Syrian refugee coverage emphasized both humanitarian concerns and security threats, and Ukrainian refugee coverage highlighted institutional barriers to integration while portraying them as culturally compatible and deserving. The study introduces the concept of “inclusive othering” to describe the subtle mechanisms of differentiation in Ukrainian refugee coverage. These findings demonstrate how media framing contributes to the politicization of refugees while maintaining Sweden’s self perception as a humanitarian nation, even as policies become more restrictive. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Media analysis, newspaper coverage, representation, Refugees, othering
host publication
Forced Migrants in Nordic Histories
editor
Leinonen, Johanna ; Tervonen, Miika ; Frøland, Hans Otto ; Hoffmann, Christhard ; Jalagin, Seija ; Jønsson, Heidi Vad and Tureby, Malin Thor
pages
27 pages
publisher
Helsinki University Press
ISBN
978-952-369-132-2
978-952-369-130-8
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
37bb78ea-151b-4aac-bdca-7949f0117972
alternative location
https://hup.fi/books/45/files/a264d0ed-11ad-4580-b523-2a10a0da659c.pdf
date added to LUP
2025-08-21 16:07:55
date last changed
2025-08-23 03:05:41
@inbook{37bb78ea-151b-4aac-bdca-7949f0117972,
  abstract     = {{This study examines shifts in Swedish media representations of refugees over three decades by analyzing coverage of refugees from Yugoslavia (1992), Syria (2015), and Ukraine (2022) in the newspaper Dagens Nyheter. Through frame analysis, the research reveals how media narratives reconcile Sweden’s humanitarian self-image with increasingly restrictive refugee policies. While institutional responsibility remains the dominant frame across all periods, representing 65 percent of coverage, significant variations emerge in the portrayal of different refugee groups. Coverage of Yugoslav refugees focused on bureaucratic management and deservingness, Syrian refugee coverage emphasized both humanitarian concerns and security threats, and Ukrainian refugee coverage highlighted institutional barriers to integration while portraying them as culturally compatible and deserving. The study introduces the concept of “inclusive othering” to describe the subtle mechanisms of differentiation in Ukrainian refugee coverage. These findings demonstrate how media framing contributes to the politicization of refugees while maintaining Sweden’s self perception as a humanitarian nation, even as policies become more restrictive.}},
  author       = {{Abdelhady, Dalia and Mårtensson, Minja}},
  booktitle    = {{Forced Migrants in Nordic Histories}},
  editor       = {{Leinonen, Johanna and Tervonen, Miika and Frøland, Hans Otto and Hoffmann, Christhard and Jalagin, Seija and Jønsson, Heidi Vad and Tureby, Malin Thor}},
  isbn         = {{978-952-369-132-2}},
  keywords     = {{Media analysis; newspaper coverage; representation; Refugees; othering}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  pages        = {{225--251}},
  publisher    = {{Helsinki University Press}},
  title        = {{Narrative of Refugeeness in Sweden : Shifting representations over time}},
  url          = {{https://hup.fi/books/45/files/a264d0ed-11ad-4580-b523-2a10a0da659c.pdf}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}