The Portrayal of Central American Migrants in North American Media: A Critical Discourse Analysis

In Fall 2018, the mass migration of Central American migrant caravans from their home countries heading northbound to the US-Mexico border in a quest to seek asylum gained international attention. Faced with unimaginable threats, due to the imposition of neoliberal ideology that forced their migration, the asylum seekers were met by the United States’ border patrol with racist immigration policies, unlawful detention and other oppressive measures that render the United States unsuitable for resettlement. Using critical discourse analysis, the purpose of this study is to analyse how North American media discourses published since the crisis commenced in October 2018 until November 2019 represent migrant caravans, and to examine how Canadian immigration policies and documents mirror these discourses. Using the concept of poststructuralism, this thesis revealed various dehumanizing discourses that portrayed the migrant caravans negatively in media with emerging discourses as: criminals, victims, bogus queue skippers, and undeserving of human rights protection. Through the analysis of the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) and the public statement on Canada’s immigration website, the thesis also revealed Canada’s complicit role in the continued dehumanization of migrant caravans which was unequivocal in their decision to appeal the decision of the Federal Court that concluded that the STCA is unconstitutional. The findings of this research add to literature about the stereotypical ideologies about the migrant caravans (asylum seekers and refugees) and contribute to the growing body of literature on the influence of media discourses on public perception and the implementation of public policies on immigration.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Social Work

Grantor dc:publisher

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Reid, Latoya Taneisha

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Gebhard, Amanda

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Novik, Nuelle
• Jeffery, Bonnie
• Granousky-Larsen, Simon

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.82465/4099

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uregina.scholaris.ca:10294/14507