Framing Migration: The role of politicized language in the Dutch media
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2025-06-20
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en
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This study analyzes how three Dutch news outlets reported on migration between 2022 and 2025. The aim is to see how politicized language can influence what people think about migration. News articles were analyzed and two experts were interviewed. The study focused on word choice, metaphors, tone, and subject matter in the analyzed media. The theories employed in this study are framing theory, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, Wittgenstein’s language games, and critical discourse analysis. These theories explained how language does not just describe a topic, but actually helps to construct the way we experience it. The outcomes show us that De Telegraaf is inclined to frame migration as a crisis by using strong and exaggerating terms. De Volkskrant has a more humanitarian way of reporting, offering more context and focusing on the stories of migrants themselves and reasons for migration. NOS presents itself as less biased but still focuses quite a lot on numbers and statistics, suggesting a certain pressure on the system. Overall, the study shows that media news is never entirely neutral. Even small language choices are most likely to communicate some political ideas and make a difference on how individuals perceive and understand migration.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen