Communicating Assistance to Ukrainian Refugees

Does Empathetic Communication Make a Difference

Dados Bibliográficos

ID11048987
AutoresZuzana Ringlerova (0000-0002-5594-2172, Masaryk University, autor correspondente), Jan Kotýnek Krotký (0000-0002-0252-5180, Masaryk University)
Ano2025
Páginas1-17
Data de publicação2025-01-10
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoNationalities Papers (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0090-5992 • E-ISSN: 1465-3923
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/nps.2024.59
OpenAlexW4406251344
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas39

European countries have been important supporters of Ukraine since the 2022 invasion by Russia. Responding to the invasion, however, was not the only challenge facing these countries in 2022. A tough domestic economic situation caused by high inflation and skyrocketing energy prices gave rise to public resentment accusing governments of favoring Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees over their own citizens. Yet, communicating governments’ policies on Ukraine efficiently and having the public on board matters because lack of public support may endanger the countries’ ability to help Ukraine in the war. Given the importance of political communication, we use the case of Czechia to explore the role of empathy in political communication between Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees. We build on existing studies which suggest that empathy in communication has the potential to decrease polarization of public opinion and that candidates using empathetic communication are viewed more positively. First, in a rhetorical analysis, we demonstrate that empathy with citizens’ concerns is not a part of the government’s defense of its refugee policy. Then, in an original survey experiment, we show that contrary to expectations, expressing empathy with citizens’ concerns does not significantly increase public support for help to refugees

Linguistics · Political science · Refugee · Sociology · Ukrainian · International Student and Expatriate Challenges · Law · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Philosophy · Psychology · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Social Psychology

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