CHRISTIAN REFUGEES IN THE CZECH VILLAGE: HIDDEN FEATURES OF REFUGEE MEDIA REPRESENTATION

Abstract

Although the so-called media surge of interest in refugee issues is already in decline, it has made a significant imprint on society, leaving it polarized and turbulent. The study focuses on the phenomenon of dehumanization of the image of the refugee against the background of the refugee case in the Czech village of Smilovice, which resonated significantly in public space and in the media. Specifically, it will focus on the media discourse reporting the arrival of several Christian refugees for a temporary stay in this village. The view on the process of dehumanization in a media setting will be approached through the lens of mimetic culture theory and the scapegoating mechanism of the French cultural anthropologist René Girard. The theoretical underpinning will also be the use of the position theory, the construction of a dialogue network and the social teaching of the Church.