Western Cultural Hegemony: Refugees & The Media

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Thank you for taking the time to complete my survey! My name is Lauren, and I am conducting this survey as part of my Personal Interest Project for Society and Culture. This research aims to explore potential disparities in the media coverage of global conflicts, focusing on how the racial identities of those involved may influence the narratives presented. Specifically, I am examining the coverage of the Ukrainian and Gazan conflicts to understand how refugees fleeing war are portrayed and how these portrayals affect the levels of empathy they receive.

It is important to clarify that this investigation does not, in any capacity seek to diminish or dismiss the suffering of any victims of war. Instead, its purpose is to critically examine the impacts of inequality in media representations and to foster a deeper understanding of the broader implications of such disparities.

Note:

Content Warning: Please note that topics discussed are extremely relevant to current world events and discussed events are potentially emotionally distressing as there is discussion surrounding conflicts, violence and war crimes. If questions cause any distress or discomfort, please don't feel the need to answer. Thank you!

Question 1: What is your age demographic? *

16-20

21-30

31-40

41-50

51-60

61-70

70 +

Question 2: What is your gender? *

Female

Male

Non Binary

Other

Question 3: What is your ethnicity? (if necessary select more than one option)

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

African

African American

Arab/Middle Eastern

Asian (e.g., East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian)

Caribbean

European

Hispanic/Latino

Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups

Pacific Islander

Prefer not to say

Other:

SECTION 1: Context

Oxford Languages defines a refugee as:

a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

Question 4: In your opinion, what are some key features of the media's representation of refugees?

vulnerable

criminal/violent

anonymous

statistical

heroic/resilient

dependent on host country

contributors to society

hardworking

job competition

none of the above

Other:

Question 5: Do you think these representations differ depending on the ethnicity of the refugees they are describing?

Yes

Maybe

Clear selection

Question 6: If yes, do you believe they differ in the context of refugees from the Middle East?

Yes

Clear selection

“In newsreels or news-photos, the Arab is always shown in large numbers. No individuality, no personal characteristics or experiences. Most of the pictures represent mass rage and misery, or irrational (hence hopelessly eccentric) gestures." - Edward Said (Orientalism)

Question 7: Do you think Edward Said's take on the representation of Middle East is accurate?

Yes

Somewhat

Other:

Clear selection

Question 8: What stereotypes about the Middle East have you observed in Western media?

Question 9: "Since the early 1920’s, the Middle East has been a region that has been synonymous with warfare, instability, and conflict. For most, the Middle East has been a perennial theater of war throughout their lifetime, regardless of the year they were born."

- Wilson Centre

To what extent does the described experience align with your own personal experiences?

High extent

Moderate Extent

Low Extent

Not all at

Clear selection

Question 11: Do you think the concept of the Middle East being in a constant state of conflict is present in the media?

Yes

Maybe

Clear selection

Question 10: How do you think this affects public attitudes towards conflict in the Middle East?

SECTION 2: Case Study

Image 1

Image 2

Question 12: Using Images 1 and 2, identify the nature of the tones used to describe the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine (if necessary select more than one option)

More sympathetic toward Ukrainians

Less sympathetic towards Ukrainians

Equally sympathetic towards both peoples

More sympathetic toward Palestinians

Less sympathetic towards Palestinians

Question 13: Based purely on the headlines in Images 1 and 2, is there a conflict/people you would feel more empathy for?

Yes

Maybe

Clear selection

Please view Images 3-5 to answer the related questions

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Question 14: In The Nations Study on Double Standards in CNN and MSNBC's coverage of Gaza and Ukraine it was found that

"On CNN and MSNBC, emotive words such as “brutal,” “massacre,” “slaughter, “barbaric,” and “savage” were overwhelmingly used to describe the killing of Israelis and Ukrainians, and almost never used to describe the killing of Palestinians.

Having viewed the images above, how significant do you think the role of the media is in shaping a racialised perception of these conflicts?

Not significant

Highly significant

Clear selection

Question 15: In your opinion, to what extent does the media influence policy decisions regarding refugees?

Not at all

To a low extent

To a moderate extent

To a high extent

Clear selection

Question 15: Bernard Cohen famously wrote in his 1963 book, The Press and Foreign Policy, that journalistic media "may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about."

What impact do you think the disparity in media coverage of conflicts, if it exists, has on individual attitudes at a micro level?

SECTION 3: Future Implications

Question 16: Do you use social media to access the news?

Yes

Maybe

Other:

Clear selection

Question 17: If yes, have you come in contact with content regarding any of the current conflicts (please tick all that apply)

Ukraine

Palestine

Sudan

Democratic Republic of Congo

Syria

Lebanon

Other:

Question 18: If so, have you come across content that differs from the views expressed by traditional news media? Please describe the differences if you have noticed any.

*traditional news media refers to established news organisations that present news through television, radio, newspapers, and their online platforms. Examples include BBC, CNN, The New York Times, The Guardian, ABC News.

Thank you for your time!

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