What Language Does the Media Use to Talk About Refugees?
This month in both Greek and UK media, refugees and migrants were described using dehumanising and derogatory language. Why does the media use language like this, and what are its effects?
Mainstream news website in.gr posted an article by Andreas Andrianopoulos titled “Who is a refugee?” this month. In the piece he used the tragic incident in Lesbos this month (where a refugee camp was burnt to the ground, leaving thousands of asylum seekers homeless for several days) to further his xenophobic and anti-Muslim ideas. In the article, Andrianopoulos claims: “Due to high birth-rate, soon the Muslims will exceed Christians in Europe,” a direct reference to the ‘great replacement’ trope. He then continues by making claims based on conspiracy theories, without any facts to back these up: “You can't deal with the refugee issue using sentimental verbalism. Realism and logic is needed. Why only Muslims come? Why mostly young? Why the big influxes started when the Islamic State appeared? Who sponsors the migration of "unaccompanied" minors -and why? Some answers are required...”
Andrianopoulos has written several alarming pieces for in.gr over the past few months, and Get The Trolls Out Greek partner Karpos have complained to the platform for hosting him, as he regularly claims that Islam is inherently violent and a threat to the European population with its ongoing expansion. The dehumanising language used by Andrianopoulos has clear xenophobic traits, and by consistently hosting him on their platform, in.gr are creating an inherently negative and biased image of refugees and migrants in Greece. A media audience who regularly consumes such content is bound to adopt some elements of this image, which can then result in real-life discrimination and actions.
In the UK, self-proclaimed right-wing media outlet Politicalite published an article titled: “MIGRANT INVASION: UK see’s HIGHEST Record of Migrants as 409 Illegals Reach Dover in 27 Boats.” Not only does the author of this piece equate migrants coming to the UK as an invasion, in a piece published only a few days later the author refers to these individuals as “illegal aliens.” The message is clear: these people are not wanted in the UK and should be ‘sent home’.
The topic of migration has been at the forefront of the media and society for many years in Europe. In many ways this is understandable: in 2015 there was an increase in refugees coming to Europe, fleeing predominantly from conflict in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Countries and their communities welcomed and offered safety to these refugees, and undoubtably, some changes took place. The media should be a space to discuss these changes but doing so in an inflammatory manner is not only xenophobic, but it is not productive.
The language we use to talk about refugees and migrants may seem like a minor detail, but it plays an essential part in humanising these people and sharing their stories. Referring to “floods”, “invasions” and “illegal aliens” only sows division and creates an environment of hate.
