Representation of refugees `in the name of media` : - An Analysis of the Events during autumn 2015 from Swedish Media Coverage

Abstract: Abstract This Master thesis aims to investigate the portrayal of refugees in the Swedish media during the refugee crisis in autumn 2015, specifically from Aug 1st – Dec 31st. Three Swedish newspaper are utilized in order to perform a Content Analysis and these are the following: Dagens Nyheter, Aftonbladet and Sydsvenskan. Furthermore, this study aims at, with help from the newspapers, try to explain the sudden fluctuate, that appeared during the refugee crisis. In order to understand how the refugee crisis were interpreted in the light of media, editorials and news articles were analyzed and concerning theoretical framework, two relevant theories were applied to highpoint the analysis section, Agenda Setting and Framing Theory. The findings from this study, with regard to all selected articles showed different nuances, e.g. that the presentation of refugees in the media was somewhat based upon a less unfavorable perception whilst other articles had various aspects but a compact focus on how the Swedish government and its measures were taken into account, concerning the refugee crisis, in autumn, 2015. Keywords: Refugees, Human rights, Swedish media, Agenda Setting and Framing Theory