ABSTRACT
Victoria M. Esses, Stelian Medianu, and Alina Sutter are concerned with the fact that refugees tend to be the targets of dehumanization, which may function to justify the poor treatment and exclusion that they face. In their chapter, they discuss the refugee situation worldwide and the need for global involvement in refugee protection. They link this focus on refugees to the concept of dehumanization and discuss how common media portrayals of refugees—including their depiction as bogus claimants who cheat to gain entry to Western countries, and as terrorists who are a threat to receiving nations—may lead to the dehumanization of these individuals, which may, in turn, lead to their negative treatment and rejection. They then discuss the potential for the rehumanization of refugees, and the role of humanization in promoting fair treatment. This includes work on how system-sanctioned positive messages from political leaders can support the rehumanization of refugees and their asylum in Western nations. They conclude by discussing the implications of this work, and the need for further research in this area as a contribution to ameliorating the “refugee crisis.”
