Representations of refugees in their home countries and abroad: A content analysis of la caravana migrante/the migrant caravan in Central America and the United States

Abstract

In October 2018, Honduran citizens started walking toward the American South border looking to be allowed entry into the United States due to not having work opportunities nor humanitarian aid in Honduras. More people joined them and this group was named la caravana migrante, the migrant caravan. Our content analyses of articles in five U.S. and five Central American newspapers sought to find similarities and differences in reporting. Despite differences in language and proximity to the caravan, reporting showed strong uniformity both within and across countries. Implications for universal norms of journalism as well as intermedia agenda setting were explored.