Efremenkova M.N., Gritsenko V.V. Analyzing the Mass Media Discourse on Fellow Citizens Migrating into Russia

Abstract: The subject of the research is the psychological content of the discourse on migration of fellow citizens into Russia performed through mass media. The authors of the article also anlayze the responses of readers to related articles and researches. They analyze the Internet discussions provoked by articles about fellow citizens going back to Russia. The authors also examine how the main themes of such articles change as the migration policy and Russian environment develop. In their research the authors attempt to trace back the problems and strategies of adaptation of Russian migrans as these are described in mass media. The authors perform the content analysis of mass media publications to study forms of transmitting information about migrants as well as peculiarities of the image of a migrating fellow citizen created by mass media. Practical imortance and novelty of the research are caused by the fact that the authors study the influence of the mass media discourse on building the image of a migrating fellow citizen in public conscience. According to the authors, the majority of the articles being reviewed build a positive image of a refugee and contain a lot of practical information for displaced residents. The discourse presented by mass media encourages readers to help and sympathize fellow citizens who happen to be refugees. The content analysis of publications has also allowed to evaluate the discourse about migrants from Ukraine as stabilising and constructive. The authors make an assumption that the loyal attitude of Russian mass media towards mass migration of refugees is caused by the radical nationalist situation in Ukraine. 

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