Global Narratives of Displacement: Media Representation Shapes Public Perception and Policy Responses to Refugee Crises

Abstract

This study examines the representation of Afghan refugees in Pakistani and international print media, focusing on how these representations influence public attitudes, opinions, and perceptions of refugees. Guided by Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis framework, this research analyzes a corpus of 96 newspaper articles from 5 Pakistani and 9 international newspapers published between 2018 and 2022. The study addresses two research questions: (1) How do Pakistani and international print media represent Afghan refugees, and how do these representations intersect with local contexts to shape public perception? and (2) What linguistic features, vocabulary, and grammatical structures are used in Pakistani and international print media to construct representations of Afghan refugees, and how do these features impact public opinion and policy responses? The findings reveal significant disparities in the representation of Afghan refugees in Pakistani and international media, with Pakistani media often framing refugees as a burden and threat. In contrast, international media expresses more sympathy and empathy. The study concludes that media representation significantly shapes public perception, influences attitudes towards refugees, and informs policy decisions. The research recommends policymakers develop evidence-based policies, prioritize protection and assistance for refugees, and foster regional cooperation to address the root causes of displacement.

Keywords: Refugees, Media, Representation, Afghanistan, Humanitarianism, Policy, Public Perception.