Publication details
Migration, emotions, and boundary work : Emotional responses to migration among the Czech public
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| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | Migration can be a very emotion-laden issue, both for newcomers and for host societies. As Boccagni and Bladassar (2015: 74) put it, “[S]ome of the most emotive issues of our times concern not so much the migrant condition as the politics of the migrant phenomenon.” Yet, most studies look at the role of emotions in the actual movement and settlement processes of migrants. We contribute to this gap by examining the emotional responses to migration among the Czech public, in both urban and rural settings. Czechia is not a major destination or transit point for migrants and refugees; however, the issue figures high on the political agenda and in the public sphere. Drawing upon the strong program in cultural sociology, we approach emotions as an inherent part of the meaning-making processes of social actors. Qualitative, in-depth interviews reveal a range of emotional responses to migration, such as admiration, pity, joy, discomfort, or shame; it is more complex than simply noting the presence of fear and xenophobia, or alternatively, an openness to diversity and newcomers. Many of the research participants express ambivalent or contradictory sentiments, often based on the country of origin, perceived race, and positioning on a “hierarchy of tolerance.” Our aim is to better understand the role of emotions in the boundary work that sustains migration-related attitudes. |
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