FRAMING OF A LOCAL ASYLUM SITUATION A study on the establishment and development of different types of framing by local actors in Cranendonck Student: Jette Boere Student Number: 911207085100 Supervisor: Dik Roth Course code: LAW-80436 Date: May 2016 Wageningen UR Page 0 Table of content Table of content ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Abstract .................................................................................................................................................... 4 1 Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers .......................................................................................... 5 1.1 Introduction to the current multi-layered asylum crisis ............................................................... 5 1.2 Objective and research question .................................................................................................. 7 1.3 Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 8 1.3.1 Qualitative field study ........................................................................................................... 9 1.3.2 Quantitative case study ...................................................................................................... 11 1.3.3 Literature study ................................................................................................................... 12 1.4 Overview of this thesis ................................................................................................................ 13 2 Theoretical framework .................................................................................................................. 16 2.1.1 Policy translation ................................................................................................................. 17 2.1.2 Framing ............................................................................................................................... 19 2.2 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 22 3 European and Dutch asylum policies ............................................................................................. 23 3.1 Introduction to the international migration crisis ...................................................................... 23 3.2 Context of the European asylum system .................................................................................... 26 3.2.1 The European Asylum Procedure ........................................................................................ 28 3.2.2 Recent establish- and developments on the European level ............................................. 30 3.3 Context of the Dutch asylum policy ............................................................................................ 32 3.3.1 Asylum procedure ............................................................................................................... 35 3.3.2 Shelters and their distribution ............................................................................................ 39 3.3.3 The aftermath of the asylum procedure ............................................................................. 41 3.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 44 4 Asylum centres in Cranendonck .................................................................................................... 46 4.1 Short historical introduction of Cranendonck ............................................................................ 46 4.2 Budel-Dorplein ............................................................................................................................ 47 4.3 Budel-Cranendonck ..................................................................................................................... 48 4.3.1 Request to host 1,200 asylum seekers ............................................................................... 50 1 4.3.2 Informative meetings and periodic consultations .............................................................. 51 4.3.3 A second and third request ................................................................................................. 52 4.3.4 A permanent asylum shelter ............................................................................................... 53 4.3.5 Informative sessions ........................................................................................................... 55 4.3.6 Council meeting .................................................................................................................. 55 4.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 61 5 The asylum seekers in Cranendonck .............................................................................................. 63 5.1 Local opinions on the characteristics of asylum seekers ............................................................ 63 5.1.1 Worries and complaints ...................................................................................................... 67 5.1.2 Competition caused by asylum seekers .............................................................................. 73 5.2 Local entrepreneurs and supermarkets ...................................................................................... 75 5.3 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 79 6 Narratives of local residents .......................................................................................................... 81 6.1 Framing of local circumstances ................................................................................................... 81 6.1.1 Number of asylum seekers ................................................................................................. 84 6.1.2 Habituation ......................................................................................................................... 89 6.2 Local opinions on COA ................................................................................................................ 91 6.2.1 Communication ................................................................................................................... 92 6.2.2 Transparency ....................................................................................................................... 94 6.2.3 Promises .............................................................................................................................. 97 6.3 Local opinions on the municipality of Cranendonck ................................................................... 99 6.3.1 Communication towards local residents .......................................................................... 101 6.3.2 Local participation ............................................................................................................. 104 6.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 107 7 The role of media in framing ........................................................................................................ 109 7.1 Short introduction on media influence ..................................................................................... 109 7.2 Reactions on local, traditional, media ...................................................................................... 112 7.3 Reactions on social media ......................................................................................................... 114 7.3.1 Opponents’ Facebook group “Cranendonck has enough asylum seekers” ...................... 115 7.3.2 Proponents’ Facebook group “We, Cranendonckers, welcome you” .............................. 119 7.3.3 Reactions on Twitter ......................................................................................................... 124 7.4 AZC Alert ................................................................................................................................... 128 2 7.5 Petition ...................................................................................................................................... 130 7.6 “Pass the warmth” .................................................................................................................... 132 7.7 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 134 8 Discussion, conclusion and recommendations ............................................................................ 135 8.1 Discussion .................................................................................................................................. 135 8.2 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 138 8.3 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................