Original research article
Przegląd Europejski – European Studies Quarterly

Between Schengen and security: border controls at the Polish-German border through the eyes of selected Polish and German media

2026, No. 3

Eliza Nowakowska

0009-0000-8865-1825

Europa-Universität Viadrina (Frankfurt/Oder, Germany)

DOI

10.31338/1641-2478pe.3.26.4

Publication date

24.09.2026

Publishing model

open access

License type

CC BY 4.0 Int.

Field

Social sciences

Discipline

political and administrative sciences, international relations, sociology, law, economics and finance, management and quality studies, social communication and media studies

Language of publication

English

Number of views:26

Number of downloads:0

Crossref citations:0

Altmetric score:0

Abstract

This article presents the analysis of the reaction of selected Polish and German media to enhanced border controls between 2023 and 2025. The author examines four key stages: the 2023 visa scandal, Germany's introduction of controls (October 2023), the discursive normalisation of border controls (2024), and Poland’s implementation of controls (July 2025). The study explores how the analysed media interpret identical facts through different socio-political lenses, managing the contradiction between supporting European integration and endorsing restrictive border policies. A qualitative critical discourse analysis of 81 articles indicates a systematic application of “double standards”. The selected media construct competing security visions, legitimising their own government’s actions via national security narratives, while criticising similar steps taken by the neighbouring state. This mechanism of selective rationalisation deepens mutual distrust and complicates joint European responses to illegal migration, highlighting the media's active role in co-constructing the rebordering process and eroding the Schengen Area's security community.

Keywords:

discourse analysis,security,European integration,constructivism,border controls,media,migration,securitisation,Polish-German relations,Schengen Area

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