What Politicians Really Think about Refugees in Czechia and Slovakia

This research chapter by Dr. Jan Kovář explores how political leaders in Czechia and Slovakia talked about immigrants and refugees on Twitter during two significant events: the 2015–2016 refugee crisis and the 2022 war in Ukraine.

It shows where refugees come from matters: People in Central and Eastern Europe generally welcomed Ukrainian refugees, but much less so toward those from the Middle East and North Africa.

By comparing political tweets from both time periods, the chapter reveals how differently refugees were portrayed—sometimes as victims needing help, other times as threats. These differences help us understand the power of political messaging and how it shapes public opinion.

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-65084-0_10