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Dissecting the “Root Cause” Approach - A Discourse Analysis Of The Long Term European Migration Policy

Sjöberg, John LU (2009) STVM01 20091
Department of Political Science
Abstract (Swedish)
This thesis uses a discourse analytical approach based on Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe to critically analyze long term migration policies. Hegemony and antagonism are used to show the development of the “Root cause discourse”. The discourse is based on the assumption that mainly illegal migration from underdeveloped sender states to more developed receiving states will in time diminish due to social and economic development.
The discourse is challenged by the “opposing discourse” that is based on post colonialism, anthropology, economy and deconstruction of the notion “development”. Deconstruction is used by post structuralism to show how "natural truths” are formed as political policies, it will also help to explain contemporary... (More)
This thesis uses a discourse analytical approach based on Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe to critically analyze long term migration policies. Hegemony and antagonism are used to show the development of the “Root cause discourse”. The discourse is based on the assumption that mainly illegal migration from underdeveloped sender states to more developed receiving states will in time diminish due to social and economic development.
The discourse is challenged by the “opposing discourse” that is based on post colonialism, anthropology, economy and deconstruction of the notion “development”. Deconstruction is used by post structuralism to show how "natural truths” are formed as political policies, it will also help to explain contemporary policy making from a historic view.
The main purpose of the thesis is to map antagonism and hegemony by locating floating signifiers used by different discourses to create stable identities. The floating signifiers found in the analysis are “development”, “mobility” and “illegal migration”.
The thesis also explains the evolvement of the root cause approach within the EU that has come to be a part of the “external dimension” and traces the presumed positive and negative effects on migration that the “Union for the Mediterranean” might have. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Sjöberg, John LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVM01 20091
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
development, migration, Union for the Mediterranean, external dimension, Discourse analysis
language
English
id
1459213
date added to LUP
2009-09-21 08:23:02
date last changed
2009-09-21 08:23:02
@misc{1459213,
  abstract     = {{This thesis uses a discourse analytical approach based on Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe to critically analyze long term migration policies. Hegemony and antagonism are used to show the development of the “Root cause discourse”. The discourse is based on the assumption that mainly illegal migration from underdeveloped sender states to more developed receiving states will in time diminish due to social and economic development.
The discourse is challenged by the “opposing discourse” that is based on post colonialism, anthropology, economy and deconstruction of the notion “development”. Deconstruction is used by post structuralism to show how "natural truths” are formed as political policies, it will also help to explain contemporary policy making from a historic view.
The main purpose of the thesis is to map antagonism and hegemony by locating floating signifiers used by different discourses to create stable identities. The floating signifiers found in the analysis are “development”, “mobility” and “illegal migration”. 
The thesis also explains the evolvement of the root cause approach within the EU that has come to be a part of the “external dimension” and traces the presumed positive and negative effects on migration that the “Union for the Mediterranean” might have.}},
  author       = {{Sjöberg, John}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Dissecting the “Root Cause” Approach - A Discourse Analysis Of The Long Term European Migration Policy}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}