Migration narratives in Northern Triangle, Mexican and US media from 1999 to 2019

In: International migration: quarterly review, Band 61, Heft 4, S. 320-336

Abstract

AbstractThis study conceptualizes the mediated discussions of migration in Central America as narratives, arguing for the need to examine the broader contours of policy‐related migration reporting across time. Using machine learning and text mining analyses, combined with qualitative narrative analysis, the study examines 53,441 news articles from 17 US, Mexican and Northern Triangle media outlets from 1999 to 2019, tracing and critiquing the shifts in coverage. Findings suggest that all three media systems generally align in their depiction of the scene, key agents and acts regarding migration; however, US narratives increasingly diverge from Northern Triangle and Mexican narratives regarding the purpose and instruments by which migration occurs, with US value claims narrowing over time emphasizing border security. This narrative trajectory within US media ignores migrants' determination and underlining rationales for migration, pushing them to take increasingly dangerous means to migrate to the USA and exacerbating the situation for all parties.