Framing the Representation of Refugee Children and Adolescents: A Key Informant Review of the Italian Media

Abstract

Unlike previous studies conducted through content analysis of media reporting on migrants, this article adds to the literature of media coverage on migration through the presentation of interviews carried out with organisations directly involved in influencing and shaping that media content. Most importantly, unlike previous research in this field, it does so by focusing specifically on the representation of refugee children and adolescents. Key informant interviews have been conducted with press officers/communication managers from six of the main organisations working on the migration response in Italy. These include the following: Oxfam, InterSos, Médecins Sans Frontières, Emergency, IOM (International Organization for Migration) and UNICEF. Not only do the findings aid in understanding the consequences that the present media coverage has on refugee children and adolescents, but they also introduce a lens that is useful in offering a more helpful representation of these groups. Ultimately, the ideas presented allow us to consider ways in which this representation can be reframed, with a vision towards a broader social change.