MEDIA DISCOURSE ANALYSIS AROUND PRIDE PARADES

Why is the fight for human rights a trigger for hate speech in the Western Balkans?  KOSOVO The patriarchal society in Kosovo does not accept the LGBTQ+ community, considering them as sick individuals, mentally ill, destroyers of families and humanity, and deeming them unfit to be part of Kosovar society. Comments reflecting these views can …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights – a range of hateful narratives and discourse

Throughout the month of May, the RDN monitoring team has detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month, we have seen hatred against political opponents and individuals as well as gender discrimination. Hatred against political opponents in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, to mark the International Day …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights – hateful discourses in the Western Balkans

Throughout the month of April, the RDN monitoring team has detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month we have spotted hatred against journalists and political opponents as well as religious, gender, and ethnic discrimination. Hatred against political opponents in Serbia   In Serbia, during the morning show “Dobro jutro Srbijo” (Good Morning …

Monthly monitoring highlights: a range of hateful discourse throughout March

Throughout the month of March, the RDN monitoring team has detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. Transphobia and Homophobia in Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina In Albania, Syri TV’s morning show called ‘Kafe Shqeto’ invited a member of the queer community in Albania – Luana Myrto – a transgender woman as well as …

TROLL OF THE MONTH: Stefan Lazarov, YouTube influencer

The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spreads hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or other diversity categories. The Balkan Troll is selected based on hate speech incidents identified across the Western Balkans region. A popular North Macedonian YouTuber and influencer by the name …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights: sexism, ethnic and religious tensions during February

Throughout the month of February, the RDN monitoring team has detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month we have witnessed sexism, religious and ethnic discrimination, and homophobia in the Western Balkans media. Sexism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Albania In Bosnia and Herzegovina, portal Klix.ba published an article regarding the composition …

FIGHTING DISINFORMATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA

MALIGN AND UNDEMOCRATIC INFLUENCES ARE TRYING TO HOLD US BACK. Disinformation comes in waves. Sometimes you are flooded in it, other times it makes itself scarce. When the media landscape is flooded with news, the disinformation also becomes plentiful. And the other way around. The strength of a disinformation wave depends on the type of …

Monthly monitoring highlights: Sexism and ethnic discrimination

Throughout the month of January, the RDN monitoring team has detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month, in the Western Balkans media, there has been sexism, ethnic discrimination and hate speech against political opponents. Ethnic discrimination in Kosovo and Montenegro In Kosovo, Shqipdon Salijaj, a freelance videographer from Kacanik, published a video …

WHEN FAILURE TO ACT IS A MURDER

Impunity for all forms of gender-based violence gives rise to distrust in institutions, and encourages the repeat of violence and its culmination in femicide. “A state that does not act is a state that kills” is one of the slogans that can be heard during the March 8 protest marches in the capital, Skopje, for …