Theoretical contributions of Critical Discourse Analysis to the study of media discourses on migration and asylum
Keywords:
Critical Discourse Analysis, media discourse, migration, disinformation, peace communicationAbstract
This article develops a theoretical discussion with methodological implications for the study of media narratives on migration and asylum from the perspective of Critical Discourse Analysis (hereafter CDA). It is based on the premise that media representations are not neutral, but rather symbolic constructions that shape the social perception of the “other” and condition democratic coexistence. Within the digital ecosystem—marked by information overload, algorithmic logic, and the attention economy—misinformation and the spectacularization of suffering reinforce exclusionary discursive frameworks and generate forms of selective empathy. Building on this problem, the article examines the contributions of CDA, peace journalism, and communication for social change as theoretical foundations for understanding and transforming the narrative dynamics that permeate media coverage of human mobility. In line with this approach, the study adopts a qualitative, interpretive, and theoretical-analytical methodology, based on a critical and selective review of specialized literature and an analytical synthesis of conceptual frameworks. The article does not present empirical results; rather, it offers an integrated proposal that articulates theoretical foundations and methodological guidelines for future research on the media construction of alterity in Spain. It thus proposes an analytical framework aimed at guiding subsequent studies and fostering a critical, ethical, and transformative approach to media discourse on migration and asylum.
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