“Victims of Democracy” or “Enemies at the Gates”? Russian Discourses on the European “Refugee Crisis”

Abstract With over one million people arriving in Europe as refugees, the UN Refugee Agency declared 2015 “the year of Europe’s refugee crisis.” This article explores meaning-making process surrounding “refugee crisis” a Russian context, using discourse theory to analyze representations Russia, and West opinion pieces interview articles three major newspapers. In addition humanitarian security discourses presented existing studies, I identify geopolitical that represents refugees victims interventionism democratization processes has promoted Middle East North Africa. More generally, this study adds literature on discursive construction identity difference.