New Migrations in the Media Communication System

The purpose of the chapter is to show the importance of the media system in providing a representation of migrations and migrants. Dealing with the narrative of new migrations in the media system means taking responsibility because the media produce effects. Definition and classification of migrations do not apply to objective criteria but they are social constructs. Too often media and political actors take part in the process of social construction of immigrants, creating forms of labelling (extracomunitarian, refugee, illegal immigrant, etc.) that affect citizens’ perception of migrants. The lens through which migrants are observed is a “us” defining “the other”, often leading to an interpretation of the phenomenon as a problem. Above all in the periods of higher unrest, migrants are projected with intolerance and discomfort, and the community often ends up compacting itself against the threat coming from outside. The analysis contained in this work goes deep into details in this crucial topic casting light on the problem of reinterpreting cultural maps that over the time have become more and more obsolete.