Representations of refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers in greek press: The case of Kathimerini
This paper investigates the representations of refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers in Greek newspapers’ discourse, during the increase of refugee crisis in Europe in 2015. Taking into account the role whom media play in the construction of social reality and in the conformation of attitudes and perceptions, the paper attempts to examine the way in which populations in transition are presented by the media and to reveal the discursive strategies and means which are involved in their linguistic construction. For this reason, the paper uses the methodological tools of the theoretical approach of Critical Discourse Analysis, which sets to prominent position the social dimension of discourse and investigates the role that language plays in the conservation, consolidation and reproduction of social injustices. In particular, 21 articles of the newspaper Kathimerini, related to the subject and published from July till September 2015, are examined. From the research findings arises a contradictory at first sight confrontation of the populations in transition. On one side refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers are presented as problem and burden for greek society and economy and as a threat for the culture and the hygiene of greek people. On the other side, they are presented as victims of human trafficking, victims of discriminations and as pitiable human beings.