Shaping Perceptions: A Study of Ukraine and Ukrainians in Slovak Media throughout Two Years of War

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.0000/4rjk2t30

Keywords:

Denník N, Hospodárske noviny, Slovak media, Ukraine, Ukrainians, war

Abstract

This article presents the results of quantitative, qualitative and comparative analysis of the portrayal of Ukraine and Ukrainians in the Slovak media, shedding light on the nuanced dynamics of cross-border perceptions and media representations. The main method of research was a content analysis of two Slovak media – Denník N and Hospodárske noviny.  The print and online versions of these media were examined for November and December 2022 and 2023, and April 2024. In total, 600 publications were examined in detail (N = 600). The findings reveal a complex and multifaceted picture of how Ukraine and its people are depicted in the Slovak media. The analysis identifies recurring themes of the war in Ukraine from different aspects, such as the situation on the battlefield, the humanitarian crisis, the attitude to the refugees, etc. The typical topics, genres as well as the image of Ukrainians are outlined.

Author Biography

  • Mariana Kitsa, Lviv Polytechnic National University

    Mariana Kitsa is an Associate Professor, a guarantor of an undergraduate programme of Journalism in the Department of journalism and mass communication, Lviv Polytechnic National University. She is also an expert in NAQA, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and National Research Foundation of Ukraine as well as Editor-in-Chief of the specialised Ukrainian scientific journal on social communications. She is the author of a monograph entitled Pathogenic Advertising in the Ukrainian Print Media, three chapters in collective monographs, and more than 80 scientific articles in the field of communication and two handbooks. Her research interests include disinformation, harmful narratives in media content, influence on public opinion, as well as the image of Ukraine and Ukrainians in different countries during the Russian-Ukrainian war.

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Published

2025-05-02

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 2 (2024): Communication Today 2/2024

Section

Research studies

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Communication Today

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Mariana Kitsa. (2025). Shaping Perceptions: A Study of Ukraine and Ukrainians in Slovak Media throughout Two Years of War. Communication Today, 15(2), 218-233. https://doi.org/10.0000/4rjk2t30