When is an asylum seeker not an asylum seeker? The representation of immigration in the UK press 1996-2005

As migration to the UK has increased in number over the past decade or more, it has become a highly salient, heavily contested political issue as well. Migration as an 'issue' is now a focal point for British public opinion, media coverage, and political debate. This term's seminar examines the relationships among these elements. We will examine how migration is represented in the media, and how media consumption can in turn construct the migrant experience as well. We will examine how various segments of the British public understand migration as a political issue, and how migration may be in turn transforming British politics. We will also take revealing looks at how migration policy and migration-related media coverage are generated, from both insiders' and outsiders' perspectives.