Representations of Labour Migration in Guatemalan and American Media

Abstract

International migration is an inseparable component of economic ‘globalization’. It constitutes an important source of labour for industrialized economies, while developing countries increasingly depend on remittances sent by migrants. In this paper, we investigate media representations of the international migration process at both places of origin and destination. At the source, the Guatemalan media often acknowledges the influence of global economic relations on the migration process. Conversely, at the destination, the Los Angeles media often denies these relations and instead focuses on national and local scales of representation. In our interpretation, scale-particular representations work together to rationalize the departure of migrants from Guatemala and to legitimate their subordination in the United States. These media representations are a contributing factor to an international system of labour regulation.