Searching for belonging in exile: rohingya refugees, religion and media narratives

The Rohingya people’s journey towards safety has been profoundly shaped by centuries of systemic oppression and hostility. Although the Rohingya have resided within Myanmar for generations, they have faced persistent persecution from the country’s Buddhist majority. Currently, the Rohingya are rendered stateless; the Burmese government has systematically denied them citizenship and restricted their access to essential services, including healthcare, education, and freedom of movement. This study examines the Rohingya refugee crisis from the perspectives of the foreign media, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. It employs a combined framing and agenda-setting approach to analyse how media ideologies and political economies construct multiple false identities surrounding the crisis. To gain a deeper understanding of media portrayals and identity construction, the research considers a range of sociopolitical, economic, cultural, racial, religious, and geopolitical dimensions. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of media coverage on the Rohingya crisis, examining its role in shaping public perception and influencing the discourse surrounding this humanitarian issue.