Mediatised discourses and (de)legitimation of refugees in Portugal: compared narratives on refugees' flows in 2015-2016 and 2021-2022

Supervisor/s: Sofia José Santos

Doctoral Programme: International Politics and Conflict Resolution

Funding: FCT

This project examines mediatised discourses about refugees in Portugal during 2015-2016 and 2021-2022. Using postcolonial and Gramscian theoretical lenses and employing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as methodology, this study inquires how mediatised discourses on refugees in Portugal contribute to the (de)legitimisation of diverse refugee profiles -with different origins and races- in 2015-2016 and 2021-2022. For this purpose, this study analyses representations from Portugal's most-watched TV channels -SIC, TVI, and RTP- exploring linguistic strategies and discourse structures to unearth power dynamics, ideologies and historical legacies. The study aims to go beyond state-of-the-art by shedding light on the nuances of the Portuguese TV news case in the naturalisation of dominant narratives on refugees and offer critical insights into policy-making, public opinion and societal attitudes toward refugees.