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Weapons or Victims? The impact of weaponized migration on the European Union’s self-perception and identity

Sörman Ivarzon, Wilma LU (2022) FKVK02 20221
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This thesis examines how the European Parliament portrays weaponized
migration, a phenomenon in which states mobilize migrants against another state to
force concessions. Furthermore, the thesis analyses how instances of weaponized
migration impact European identity. The theory of ontological security is applied
to analyse the threat constructions and changes in self-perception these incidents
may trigger. Morocco’s weaponization of migration against Spain and Belarus’s
weaponization against Poland are analysed through a comparative research design.
The results display that Belarus’s actions caused greater ontological insecurity for the European Parliament than Morocco’s. While the political left views the
migrants as... (More)
This thesis examines how the European Parliament portrays weaponized
migration, a phenomenon in which states mobilize migrants against another state to
force concessions. Furthermore, the thesis analyses how instances of weaponized
migration impact European identity. The theory of ontological security is applied
to analyse the threat constructions and changes in self-perception these incidents
may trigger. Morocco’s weaponization of migration against Spain and Belarus’s
weaponization against Poland are analysed through a comparative research design.
The results display that Belarus’s actions caused greater ontological insecurity for the European Parliament than Morocco’s. While the political left views the
migrants as victims in both situations, the right perceives them as an existential
threat even when the coercer state is not viewed as dangerous. The thesis also
reveals that the left will attempt to reinforce the perceived EU identity of being a human rights defender and global norm-setter. The political right will instead form an alternative identity based on being a protector of EU citizens, keeping the threat of migrants and the coercer state outside EU territory at any cost. (Less)
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author
Sörman Ivarzon, Wilma LU
supervisor
organization
course
FKVK02 20221
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Weaponized migration, Refugee Portrayals, Ontological Security, European identity
language
English
id
9081190
date added to LUP
2022-07-03 09:17:24
date last changed
2022-07-03 09:17:24
@misc{9081190,
  abstract     = {{This thesis examines how the European Parliament portrays weaponized 
migration, a phenomenon in which states mobilize migrants against another state to 
force concessions. Furthermore, the thesis analyses how instances of weaponized 
migration impact European identity. The theory of ontological security is applied 
to analyse the threat constructions and changes in self-perception these incidents 
may trigger. Morocco’s weaponization of migration against Spain and Belarus’s 
weaponization against Poland are analysed through a comparative research design.
The results display that Belarus’s actions caused greater ontological insecurity for the European Parliament than Morocco’s. While the political left views the 
migrants as victims in both situations, the right perceives them as an existential 
threat even when the coercer state is not viewed as dangerous. The thesis also 
reveals that the left will attempt to reinforce the perceived EU identity of being a human rights defender and global norm-setter. The political right will instead form an alternative identity based on being a protector of EU citizens, keeping the threat of migrants and the coercer state outside EU territory at any cost.}},
  author       = {{Sörman Ivarzon, Wilma}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Weapons or Victims? The impact of weaponized migration on the European Union’s self-perception and identity}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}