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The securitisation of migration in populist discourse: Emotional and affective mechanisms at play

The securitisation of migration in populist discourse: Emotional and affective mechanisms at play
The securitisation of migration in populist discourse: Emotional and affective mechanisms at play
Citizens have become increasingly concerned with immigration and its alleged links to different aspects of societal security; the topic has featured centrally in election campaigns across Europe and still represents the anchor of the Brexit debate. What role have populist leaders played in addressing these public concerns? Securitisation serves as a useful conceptual tool, as it refers to the construction and articulation of certain phenomena as issues of security concern. This chapter provides an examination of populism through the lenses of the securitisation theory to show how these two concepts profoundly intertwine and how populism might hold a ‘securitising potential’. Using radical right leaders, Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini as cases in point, the analysis explores the ‘populist securitisation narrative’ on migration, and show how this security discourse revolves around four main affective components: belonging, loss, blame and nostalgia. Building on the theories of political psychology, the chapter concludes with a discussion on the emotional implications of these narratives and their potential role in shaping information processing, securitisation approval and, more broadly, populist support.
Peter Lang
Bonansinga, D.
864692cb-5d6b-4b72-bdbe-4a1fe5d0b6e5
Talani, Leila Simona
Rosina, Matilde
Bonansinga, D.
864692cb-5d6b-4b72-bdbe-4a1fe5d0b6e5
Talani, Leila Simona
Rosina, Matilde

Bonansinga, D. (2019) The securitisation of migration in populist discourse: Emotional and affective mechanisms at play. In, Talani, Leila Simona and Rosina, Matilde (eds.) Tidal Waves? The Political Economy of Populism and Migration in Europe. Peter Lang.

Record type: Book Section

Abstract

Citizens have become increasingly concerned with immigration and its alleged links to different aspects of societal security; the topic has featured centrally in election campaigns across Europe and still represents the anchor of the Brexit debate. What role have populist leaders played in addressing these public concerns? Securitisation serves as a useful conceptual tool, as it refers to the construction and articulation of certain phenomena as issues of security concern. This chapter provides an examination of populism through the lenses of the securitisation theory to show how these two concepts profoundly intertwine and how populism might hold a ‘securitising potential’. Using radical right leaders, Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini as cases in point, the analysis explores the ‘populist securitisation narrative’ on migration, and show how this security discourse revolves around four main affective components: belonging, loss, blame and nostalgia. Building on the theories of political psychology, the chapter concludes with a discussion on the emotional implications of these narratives and their potential role in shaping information processing, securitisation approval and, more broadly, populist support.

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More information

Published date: 30 August 2019

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 500625
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/500625
PURE UUID: 3b905a74-0bd9-4aad-bf8d-20380f064a58
ORCID for D. Bonansinga: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1968-0811

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Date deposited: 07 May 2025 16:39
Last modified: 10 May 2025 02:19

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Contributors

Author: D. Bonansinga ORCID iD
Editor: Leila Simona Talani
Editor: Matilde Rosina

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