Constructions of Migrant Integration in British Public Discourse

Reviews / Votes

Bennett presents a clear overview of some of the theories of racism which highlights the centrality of the discriminatory and conflicting positions towards migrants ... This depth of analysis continues throughout [the book] ... The use of corpus tools to explore these patterns of recontextualisation is by far Bennett's greatest contribution here. * Journal of Corpora and Discourse Studies * This thought-provoking, timely book is a major contribution to contemporary migration research, in Britain and beyond. Providing an illuminating discourse-analytic perspective on issues of race, ideology, social inclusion as well as exclusion, it expands our critical understanding of the very momentous of current European developments, Brexit including. Most crucially, it reveals the many ways in which the construction of personal, group and national identity can be manipulated in the public space and bound up with fear, security and conflict. -- Piotr Cap, Professor of Linguistics, University of Lodz, Poland It is hard to think of a timelier book than Sam Bennett's discourse-historical study of immigration and integration discourses in 21st-century Britain. Bennett provides rich historical context to explain how particular forms of 'othering' pervade government and media discourse on integration. It is very commendable that the book doesn't stop there , but compares and contrasts elite discourses with constructions of integration by various groups of migrants. Bennett closes with suggestions for policy and it would indeed be welcome if the findings of his study were to find their way into the public discourse he investigates. -- Veronika Koller, Reader in Discourse Studies, Lancaster University, UK