To be someone is never to be no one: Nador and migratory narratives in the Spanish context

Abstract

In recent decades, Spanish media have frequently covered migration movements to European territory from the northern coast of Africa in the areas of Ceuta and Melilla. A recent incident involving migrants in Nador (a region located near the Melilla border fence) provides an example of how the press plays an important role in building narratives and imaginaries about migrants. This study examines how the media portrays the figure of the al-Hrig migrant in the media coverage of this incident. Analyses of two reports appearing in the national media ABC and Newtral will be conducted. This study examines how the events in Melilla highlight the tensions surrounding citizenship in the current border context and how they are enacted through the concept of transnational violence. The aim is to apply the theoretical framework developed by Balibar (2013) and Mouffe (2012), with a specific emphasis on the media's role in shaping narratives about migrants and its profound impact on public perception and migration policies.