Increasingly Controversial, Cultural, and Political: The Immigration Debate in Scandinavian Newspapers 1970–2016

Abstract

Jan Fredrik Hovden & Hilmar Mjelde*Jan Fredrik Hovden is Professor of media studies in the Department of Information Science and Media Studies, Bergen University, Norway. Email: Hilmar Mjelde (corresponding author) is post doctor in the Department of Information Science and Media Studies, Bergen University, Norway.Email: hilmar.mjelde@uib.noEarlier accounts of the immigration debate in Scandinavia have suggested that despite the countries’ many similarities, Swedish newspapers are dominated by immigration friendly views, that Danish papers are very open to strongly negative views on immigration, and that Norwegian press occupies a middle position. However, this argument has until now not been tested through a large systematic, comparative, and historical study of newspaper coverage of immigration in these countries. As a part of the SCANPUB project [https://scanpub.w.uib.no/], a content analysis of a representative sample of articles for two newspapers for each country for the period 1970–2016 (one constructed month pr. year, N = 4329) was done. Focusing on broad Scandinavian trends and major national differences, the results support the general claims about national differences in Scandinavian immigration debate, and also suggest some major developments, in particular the rise of immigration as an issue for debate and for national politicians.

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