The visual representation of Ukrainian and Afghan refugees in the Spanish press

Abstract

The public’s understanding of the situation of refugees largely depends on how they are represented by the media. This article analyses this representation by studying photographs that appear in four mainstream Spanish newspapers of varied political orientation, comparing two paradigmatic examples: that of Afghan refugees versus Ukrainian refugees. The objective of this analysis is to determine the differences and similarities between how each case is covered, using a mixed quantitative and qualitative content analysis method to determine the images’ denotative and connotative aspects, based on ‘framing theory’. Findings show that, although all the refugees are presented primarily from a human-interest angle, there is a significant degree of depersonalization in their photographic presentation due to the framing and stylistic elements employed. Also, Afghans are viewed with greater suspicion than Ukrainians, with a quarter of their images being associated with the idea of conflict.