Crime and Criminality

Abstract

Worldwide, migration as a phenomenon is at the center of various debates and mass media plays a critical role in this regard by enabling the production of public opinion. While Kerala is well known as a state that sends out migrant workers to other states and countries for work of various forms, the past two decades have witnessed a demographic shift through the large influx of workers from the northern and eastern parts of the country to Kerala for wage work spanning all sectors of the economy. The society in Kerala and its media have portrayed migrant workers in different ways at different points in time. This study has undertaken a qualitative analysis of select media reports spanning an eight-year period from 2016 to 2023 to examine English media coverage of issues surrounding migrant laborers, especially around the issue of crime and criminality. The study finds that much reportage has portrayed migrants negatively and unfavorably and this has had an impact on the perception of the local population of these workers.