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Constructing undesirables: A critical discourse analysis of ‘othering’ within the Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act
Author(s) -
Huot Suzanne,
Bobadilla Andrea,
Bailliard Antoine,
Laliberte Rudman Debbie
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international migration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.681
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1468-2435
pISSN - 0020-7985
DOI - 10.1111/imig.12210
Subject(s) - problematization , immigration , refugee , government (linguistics) , corporate governance , population , political science , immigration policy , critical discourse analysis , immigration law , sociology , political economy , public administration , law , politics , economics , ideology , art , linguistics , philosophy , demography , literature , finance
Immigration policy in Canada has recently shifted, reflecting changes in other Western countries. We studied the discursive constructions of forced migrants within Bill C‐31 “Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act” and its associated Backgrounder documents published by the Canadian Government. The documents were analysed using an approach to critical discourse analysis adapted from Bacchi's (2009) methodology and informed by a theoretical framework of “othering”. Particular groups of migrants were represented as posing threats to the economy, the integrity of the refugee system, and national security. The documents offered three solutions: the creation of specific categories of migrants, an emphasis upon efficiency of the system, and expanded powers to the government. The problematization of asylum seekers as posing multiple threats to Canadian society obfuscates governmental responsibilities to this population and reflects common strategies of neoliberal governance.