Perceived inequality in Refugee Reception: university students on the "Double Standard"
Keywords
Loading...
Authors
Issue Date
2025-06-20
Language
en
Document type
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Title
ISSN
Volume
Issue
Startpage
Endpage
DOI
Abstract
This thesis explores how university students perceive the ‘double standard’ in refugee reception, particularly the differing treatment of Ukrainian refugees compared to those from the Global South. Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, European countries offered generous support to Ukrainian refugees, which strongly contrasted with more restrictive responses to refugees from countries like Syria or Eritrea. This study investigates how young, educated individuals interpret this difference and what factors shape their views.
Using a qualitative approach, twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with Radboud University students from diverse academic backgrounds. The data was analyzed through thematic analysis, by use of the Framing Theory (Dennison, 2021), Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1986), and McCloskey’s (2022) “Hierarchy of Victims.” Three key themes emerged: student perspectives on fairness and cultural proximity, perceptions of public opinion shaped by misinformation and bias and the media’s role in framing refugee narratives.
Findings reveal that students are critically aware of unequal treatment and often experience internal conflict between moral ideals and implicit cultural biases. This study contributes to migration and public opinion research by highlighting the self-awareness and emotional engagement of future societal actors in shaping inclusive refugee policies.
Description
Citation
Supervisor
Faculty
Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen