Sex and age biases in Tweets relating to the 2015 migration crisis 

Diaspora beyond Nationalism conference Cardiff University, 16 September 2015

#JOMECDiaspora

Jonathan Bishop@jonathanbishop#JonathanBishop

The 2015 migration crisis• Involves the diaspora of civilians in the war-torn

countries of Iraq and Syria fleeing those countries for Europe.• This wars have in some way or another been affected

by the foreign policies of the West, including supporting those Islamists who want to bring down the Assad Government.

Definitions• Migration – The process of moving from one country

to another• Migrant – Someone who is moving from one country

into another• Immigrant – Someone who has moved into a country• Emigrant – Someone who has moved out of a country• Asylum seeker – A migrant seeking refugee status• Refugee – A migrant who has been awarded refugee

status• Diaspora – A group of migrants that have settled in a

country

Types of Internet PosterPoster Type and Sub-Types Description

Haters Snerts, E-Vengers, Iconoclasts

Suspect a hidden agenda and want to expose this.

Bzzzters Flirts, MHBFY Jennies, Wizards

Say things in the moment thinking they are being helpful even when they are not. Try to point out the “facts”

EyeballsLurkers, Elders, Trolls

Wait for the opportune moment to post. Post links to content they have found elsewhere.

LolcowsChatroom Bobs, Rippers, Big Men

Passionately express themselves in the moment and then do not like the consequences.

Haters v BzzztersHaters Bzzzters

Comparison 1/4

Eyeballs v HatersEyeballs Haters

Comparison 2/4

Bzzzters v EyeballsBzzzters Eyeballs

Comparison 3/4

Haters v LolcowsHaters Lolcows

Comparison 4/4

Women/Children Weak People First?• Why women and children first?• Women are weak and feeble?• Women are the fairer sex?• Women are vulnerable and needy?

• No:• Children are by their nature vulnerable, women are not.• Some women are physically stronger than some men.• Should the strong fight and the "weak" protect?• Is there not inbuilt disability discrimination in ageist and

sexist narratives?

Practical solutions to change attitudes/behaviours• Increased role of NATO• NATO members should not take military action in isolation• NATO members take responsibility for the consequences of

their actions• All NATO countries take fair share of refugees, including USA

• A ‘European integration assessment’• Refugees landing in or assigned to the EU are relocated to the

country they would most likely be able to integrate into.• Welfare payments to refugees in EU to come out of the EU’s

budget