This event reflects on the discursive construction of Swiss identity and country image in the recurrent debates about migration in Switzerland and in Europe in general.
The framework for discussion is set at the intersection of a macro, meso, and micro context that have gradually contributed to the multiplication of discourses about “us” and “them” across Europe. The macro context refers to the current globalized culture and the adoption of promotional practices by countries worldwide, including Switzerland. The meso context is related to the increased movement of people—migrants and refugees—within Europe (concomitant with the rise of nationalist right wing parties and their anti-immigration discourse). The passing of the “stop mass immigration” initiative in Switzerland, in February 2014, represents the micro context of this call for introspection.
Bringing together European top scholars in discourse studies, sociology of communication, and communication sciences, this conference integrates complementary perspectives on the construction of national identity and country images within these different contexts.
The guest speakers will first explore existent discourses on migrants and migration across Western and Eastern Europe. Then, they will focus on the Swiss case, illustrating how different social actors (media, experts, institutions) discursively construct the idea of a Swiss national identity and the image of Switzerland.