CMD: The Crisis of Migration Discourse – A participatory approach for a new lexicon of migration.
The Crisis of Migration Discourse (CMD) is a HERA/CHANSE (HORIZON 2020) funded European project The project is in collaboration with and is funded by CHANSE, Collaboration of Humanities and Social Sciences in Europe.
CMD engages with the impact of discourses and policies that construct migration through the lens of crises on people using unauthorised routes to enter the EU and the UK and are as a result illegalised. To do so, CMD posits illegalised migrants as agents of change working with them to impact the current narratives on migration and related practices and to enhance intercultural exchanges.The project is carried out in four successive modules across five European countries (Italy, France, Denmark, Spain and the United Kingdom), working with migrants, NGOs, local communities, journalists and policy stakeholders.
Project Objectives
- Challenge crisis narratives of migration
- Amplify migrant voices through participatory methods
- Develop a Just Lexicon of Migration
- Influence policy, journalism and public understanding
Work Packages
CMD is structured into thematic Work Packages (WPs) that move from analysis to co-creation and dissemination of new narratives and practices.
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WP1 - Construction
Institutional & Media Discourses
Focus: Analysing Institutional and Media Discourses on Migration
Method: Corpus linguistics + critical discourse analysis
Outcome: Mapping out how migration is framed as a crisis
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WP2 - Deconstruction
Migrant Voices & Participatory Research
Focus: Working directly with migrants to understand and challenge these narratives
Method: Participatory Action research (PAR) workshops
Outcome: Co-created media outputs (video, podcasts, writing)
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WP3 - Reconstruction
De-construction & Toolkit for Action
Focus: Building and testing the "Toolkit for Action" and new migration lexicon
Method: Workshops with journalists, policymakers and educators
Outcome: Practical tools and strategies for fairer narratives
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WP4 Training and Disssemination
Training & Dissemination
Focus: Sharing knowledge and materials widely
Method: Online training, video tutorials, virtual exhibitions
Outcome: Broader public and policy impact.