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Abstract

The British media’s persistently negative representation of asylum seekers and refugees, particularly since the 2015 European refugee ‘crisis’, in headlines and discourses, has been recognised by many scholars as being potentially degrading to forcibly displaced individuals and groups, notably impactful upon public perceptions, and influential in hostile immigration rhetoric and policy. This research project will focus upon water metaphors within the context of the British media and examine how and why the use of metaphors is potentially fostering negative representations of asylum seekers and refugees. Presentation of previous studies and research projects within this report, combined with an analysis into the power of metaphorical expressions, helps to reveal the negative and potentially dehumanising nature of these portrayals. Finally, a comprehensive examination into the consequential impacts upon the general public, immigration policy and the displaced themselves is offered. Ultimately, this research project has highlighted the urgent need for extensive contemporary research into the implications of the use of metaphorical expressions within the British media, alongside more consideration towards the lived experiences of asylum seekers and refugees themselves with the media’s portrayals.

Course: International Development Studies and Languages - BA (Hons)

Date Deposited: 2021-09-15

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13710.html