The politics of fear, mobility, and media discourses: A case study of Malmö

Vanessa Stjernborg, Mekonnen Tesfahuney, Anders Wretstrand

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study focuses on Seved, a segregated and socioeconomically "poor" neighborhood in the city of Malmö in Sweden. It has attracted wide media coverage, a possible consequence of which is its increased stigmatization. The wide disparity between perceived or imagined fear and the actual incidence of, or exposure to, violence attests to the important role of the media in shaping mental maps and place images. Critical discourse analysis of daily newspaper articles shows that Seved is predominantly construed as unruly and a place of lawlessness. Mobility comprises an important aspect of the stigmatization of places, the politics of fear, and discourses of the "other." In turn, place stigmatization, discourses of the other, and the politics of fear directly and indirectly affect mobility strategies of individuals and groups.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)7-27
Number of pages21
JournalTransfers
Volume5
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015 Mar 1
Externally publishedYes

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Transport Systems and Logistics

Free keywords

  • Critical discourse analysis
  • Globalization
  • Migration
  • Neoliberalism
  • Spaces of fear
  • Stigmatization
  • Surveillance
  • Urban mobility

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The politics of fear, mobility, and media discourses: A case study of Malmö'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this