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Climate-induced migration in the proposed Joint Africa-EU Strategy - what's the problem represented to be?

Söderberg Olofsson, Elin LU (2021) SGED10 20211
Human Geography
Department of Human Geography
Abstract
This study engages with problem representations of climate-induced migration in European Union (EU) policy. As Africa is a region highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and one of geopolitical interest for the EU, the material for the study consists of the policy documents concerning the new proposed Joint Africa-EU Strategy formulated by the EU in 2020 and 2021. The material is analysed through the discursive approach to policy analysis “What’s the problem represented to be?” (WPR). The study builds upon a postcolonial theoretical framework based on the concepts of ‘othering’ and ‘eurocentrism’. The findings of the study suggest that climate-induced migration in this context is represented as an economic issue, where a lack... (More)
This study engages with problem representations of climate-induced migration in European Union (EU) policy. As Africa is a region highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and one of geopolitical interest for the EU, the material for the study consists of the policy documents concerning the new proposed Joint Africa-EU Strategy formulated by the EU in 2020 and 2021. The material is analysed through the discursive approach to policy analysis “What’s the problem represented to be?” (WPR). The study builds upon a postcolonial theoretical framework based on the concepts of ‘othering’ and ‘eurocentrism’. The findings of the study suggest that climate-induced migration in this context is represented as an economic issue, where a lack of economic development is framed as the ‘problem’. I argue that this dominant problem representation reproduces a colonial narrative as the ‘problem’ is placed in Africa that is represented as the party that needs to ‘change’. The EU is simultaneously represented as the possessor of the necessary knowledge, and as a norm towards which Africa should strive, while escaping further accountability and responsibility. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Söderberg Olofsson, Elin LU
supervisor
organization
course
SGED10 20211
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
climate-induced migration, policy, European Union, WPR, othering, eurocentrism
language
English
id
9057485
date added to LUP
2021-06-30 08:19:30
date last changed
2021-06-30 08:19:30
@misc{9057485,
  abstract     = {{This study engages with problem representations of climate-induced migration in European Union (EU) policy. As Africa is a region highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and one of geopolitical interest for the EU, the material for the study consists of the policy documents concerning the new proposed Joint Africa-EU Strategy formulated by the EU in 2020 and 2021. The material is analysed through the discursive approach to policy analysis “What’s the problem represented to be?” (WPR). The study builds upon a postcolonial theoretical framework based on the concepts of ‘othering’ and ‘eurocentrism’. The findings of the study suggest that climate-induced migration in this context is represented as an economic issue, where a lack of economic development is framed as the ‘problem’. I argue that this dominant problem representation reproduces a colonial narrative as the ‘problem’ is placed in Africa that is represented as the party that needs to ‘change’. The EU is simultaneously represented as the possessor of the necessary knowledge, and as a norm towards which Africa should strive, while escaping further accountability and responsibility.}},
  author       = {{Söderberg Olofsson, Elin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Climate-induced migration in the proposed Joint Africa-EU Strategy - what's the problem represented to be?}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}