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The Privileged Migrant : A Critical Discourse Analysis of Media Constructions of the Expat Label

Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Media discourse plays a crucial role in shaping the public’s perceptions toward major political and social issues, such as migration. While previous research reveals how media often contributes to a negative framing of migrants, little is known about how media discourse constructs the privileged expat label. Diverging from the dominant migrant discourse, scholarly research has shown how the expat label is often applied to highly-skilled, white, Western migrants, thus revealing the underlying social hierarchies associated with the label. However, the media’s role in constructing this narrative remains underexplored. Therefore, by adopting a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), using Belgian newspapers as the material, this study aims to explore how the expat label is discursively constructed in the media, through factors relating to capital and race. The findings show how expats are discursively constructed as a privileged, socially distinct group, manifested predominantly through their high-level of economic and cultural capital. They are constructed as wealthy, contributing citizens, holding prestigious job positions. They are also associated with cosmopolitanism and exclusive wellness lifestyles only attainable to a certain demographic. While racialised dynamics were present, these were often more subtle, but still implicitly implied how the label is mostly reserved for white, Western individuals. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights on how the media is far from neutral, normalising privileged migrants, while simultaneously contributing to the maintenance of migrant social hierarchies.
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7130491800
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