Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education
Date of this Version
2016
Citation
Catalano, Theresa A. (2016) "Linguistic Construction of Migrant Identity in U.S. Crime Reports," CALL: Irish Journal for Culture, Arts, Literature and Language: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, Article 11. doi:10.21427/D78G6S Available at: http://arrow.dit.ie/priamls/vol1/iss1/11
Abstract
This article explores the representation of Latino migrants in U.S. crime reports. Through multidisciplinary linguistic analysis incorporating critical discourse analysis and cognitive linguistics, the author demonstrates how migrant identity is constructed linguistically in media discourse using various linguistic strategies to reveal an underlying xeno-racist discourse that serves the dominant group’s purpose of staying in power. The contribution of this paper lies in its systematic illustration of the covert nature in which this discourse is (re)produced in crime reports and the connections it can have to immigration policies and public attitudes. In addition, the aim of the paper is to serve as a springboard for social and political change through consciousness-raising and the ability to critically deconstruct texts to reveal underlying messages.
Included in
Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Latin American Studies Commons, Social Influence and Political Communication Commons, Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons
Comments
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals Published Through Arrow at ARROW@DIT. It has been accepted for inclusion in CALL: Irish Journal for Culture, Arts, Literature and Language by an authorized administrator of ARROW@DIT. For more information, please contact yvonne.desmond@dit.ie, arrow.admin@dit.ie.