Re-defining The Migration Debate In Germany

The domestic political climate after the 2015 [migration] crisis has revealed the cracks in this linguistic veneer. Somehow, Germany seemed to lack the appropriate language to cope with the new situation.

2015 was a tough year, because the migration crisis came as a surprise for many societies as well as the media, most of which were not prepared to cover this topic extensively. 

Reporting on migration is tough for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it is hard for a journalist to remain objective while covering dramatic refugee stories that carry huge emotions.

Second, in most countries migration is a heated political topic. It varies, of course, depending on the country. But, for example, it is difficult to break through the anti-refugee sentiment in Poland, a country that has taken zero people in the EU quota system. Zero. 

It's hard to report where every word matters and one is not only reporting but trying to compose a message that will crack through the bias and established thinking patterns.