Abstract
This paper is focused on the way foreigners have been represented in the British press from 2004 to the present. People of colour, particularly Muslims, have traditionally been considered as the most “undesirable” arrivals, given their impact on the nature of the mainstream society, particularly with respect to terrorism. But with the fifth EU enlargement as from May 2004, there has been a growing concern about the impact of the influx of Eastern Europeans on Britain, heightening Britons’ rejection of foreigners and thus putting Britain’s multicultural society at stake. Articles selected from the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, the Guardian and the Independent are qualitatively analysed using Maxwell McCombs’ media framing and juxtaposed to opinion polls conducted by Ipsos Mori in a bid to see the impact on people’s attitudes towards foreigners. I shall argue that representations of Muslims and Eastern Europeans have intensified Britons’ rejection of ‘the others’, reviving their national identity, partly enhanced by right-wing political parties which have increased Euro-scepticism, paving the way for Brexit.
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
British Press; Foreigners
