Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jan 2022

Social Justice and the Portrayal of Migrants in International Organization for Migration’s World Migration Reports

Saveena (Chakrika) Veeramoothoo

Abstract

Social justice is a framework that has been at the forefront of technical communication in recent years. While social justice is often applied in participatory studies, it can also feature in studies using quantitative methods. In this study, I use corpus-based critical discourse analysis to investigate the portrayal of migrants in the World Migration Reports, the flagship publication of the International Organization for Migration. I emphasize context to bring in the social justice framework in this analysis. This study finds that the World Migration Reports represent migrants within various topoi, with a particular focus on the topos of advantage and that of danger/threat.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2022-01-01
DOI
10.1177/0047281620953377
Open Access
Closed
Topics
discourse analysis technical communication

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

  1. Verhulsdonck et al. (2026)
    Expanding Human-in-the-Loop: Critical Sensemaking for Technical and Professiona…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Aguilar (2025)
    Building Translator Repertoire Across a Humanitarian Translation App: Transling…
    Technical Communication Quarterly

Cites in this index (20)

  1. St.Amant (2019)
    The Cultural Context for Communicating Care
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Acharya (2019)
    Usability for Social Justice: Exploring the Implementation of Localization Usab…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Brown et al. (2017)
    Elaborated Specificity versus Emphatic Generality: A Corpus-Based Comparison of…
    Research in the Teaching of English
  4. Jones et al. (2016)
    Disrupting the Past to Disrupt the Future: An Antenarrative of Technical Commun…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Rose (2016)
    Design as Advocacy
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Show all 20 →
  1. Walton (2016)
    Supporting Human Dignity and Human Rights
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Dryer (2016)
    Appraising Translingualism
    College English
  3. Lu et al. (2016)
    Guest Editors’ Introduction: Translingual Work
    College English
  4. Agboka (2014)
    Decolonial Methodologies: Social Justice Perspectives in Intercultural Technica…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Whitney (2013)
    The 2010 Citizens Clean Elections Voter Education Guide: Constructing the “Ille…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  6. Agboka (2013)
    Participatory Localization: A Social Justice Approach to Navigating Unenfranchi…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  7. Ding et al. (2013)
    Guest Editors' Introduction: New Directions in Intercultural Professional Commu…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  8. Frost (2013)
    Transcultural Risk Communication on Dauphin Island: An Analysis of Ironically L…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  9. Walton (2013)
    How Trust and Credibility Affect Technology-Based Development Projects
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  10. Huckin et al. (2012)
    Critical Discourse Analysis and Rhetoric and Composition
    College Composition and Communication
  11. Evia et al. (2012)
    Beyond Compliance
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  12. Agboka (2012)
    Liberating Intercultural Technical Communication from “Large Culture” Ideologie…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  13. Horner et al. (2011)
    Opinion: Language Difference in Writing: Toward a Translingual Approach
    College English
  14. Sun (2006)
    The Triumph of Users: Achieving Cultural Usability Goals With User Localization
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  15. Canagarajah (2006)
    The Place of World Englishes in Composition: Pluralization Continued
    College Composition and Communication
Also cites 41 works outside this index ↓
  1. 10.1080/17405904.2012.688297
     ↗
  2. 10.1075/jlp.4.2.04bak
     ↗
  3. Bloom-Pojar R. (2018). Translingual rhetorical engagement in transcultural health spaces. In L. B. Meloncon &…
     ↗
  4. 10.1177/2056305118764428
     ↗
  5. 10.1080/1369183X.2014.925391
     ↗
  6. Canagarajah S. A. (2017). Introduction, The nexus of migration and language: The emergence of a disciplinary …
     ↗
  7. Canagarajah S. A. (2018). Transnationalism and translingualism: How they are connected. In X. You (Ed.), Tran…
     ↗
  8. 10.25071/1920-7336.37505
     ↗
  9. 10.1177/1476750306063991
     ↗
  10. 10.1080/17405900802131793
     ↗
  11. 10.1146/annurev-soc-081715-074302
     ↗
  12. 10.1177/1748048518775001
     ↗
  13. 10.1007/s12290-016-0407-5
     ↗
  14. 10.1177/0075424207311247
     ↗
  15. Given, L. M. (2008). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.
     ↗
  16. 10.1145/3309589.3309593
     ↗
  17. 10.1177/0957926595006002003
     ↗
  18. Heugh K. (2017). Displacement and language. In S. A. Canagarajah (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of migration a…
     ↗
  19. 10.1080/01434632.2015.1134555
     ↗
  20. 10.1177/0957926502013003054
     ↗
  21. Hurst E. (2017). Regional flows and language resources. In S. A. Canagarajah (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of…
     ↗
  22. 10.1075/jlp.9.1.01kho
     ↗
  23. Jäger S. (2001). Discourse and knowledge: Theoretical and methodological aspects of a critical discourse and …
     ↗
  24. 10.1177/2329490616680360
     ↗
  25. Jones N., Walton R. (2018). Using narratives to foster critical thinking about diversity and social justice. …
     ↗
  26. 10.1109/TPC.2017.2762964
     ↗
  27. Leydens J. (2012). What does professional communication research have to do with social justice? Intersection…
     ↗
  28. 10.1525/aa.2006.108.1.38
     ↗
  29. Mesthrie R. (2017). Slavery, indentured work, and language. In S. A. Canagarajah (Ed.), The Routledge handboo…
     ↗
  30. Meyer M. (2001). Between theory, method, and politics: Positioning of the approaches to CDA. In R. Wodak & M.…
     ↗
  31. 10.1386/ajms.7.1.79_1
     ↗
  32. Pigozzi L. M. (2018). Negotiating informed consent: Bueno aconsejar, mejor remediar (it is good to give advic…
     ↗
  33. Reed H. E., Ludwig B., Braslow L. (2016). Forced migration. In M. J. White (Ed.), International handbook of m…
     ↗
  34. 10.2307/j.ctvjhzr8r
     ↗
  35. Sharma S. (2018). Translanguaging in hiding: English-only instruction and literacy education in Nepal. In X. …
     ↗
  36. Tovares A. V., Kamwangamalu N. M. (2017). Migration trajectories: Implications for language proficiencies and…
     ↗
  37. Van Dijk T. (2001). Multidisciplinary CDA: A plea for diversity. In R. Wodak & M. Meyer (Eds.), Introducing q…
     ↗
  38. 10.1080/1358684X.2014.968469
     ↗
  39. 10.1145/2524248.2524257
     ↗
  40. 10.1093/jrs/feu036
     ↗
  41. Wodak R. (2001). What CDA is about—A summary of its history. Important concepts and its developments. In R.Wo…
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 9 View in citation network →

Related Articles

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly Oct 2023
    Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis for Technical Communication Research ↗
    G. Edzordzi Agbozo
    discourse analysis multimodality technical communication
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Oct 2018
    Navigating Discourses of Power Through Relationships ↗
    Kristin Pickering
    discourse analysis technical communication professional writing multilingual writers
  3. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jul 2018
    Feedback From Internship Mentors in Technical Communication Internships ↗
    Elisabeth Kramer-Simpson
    discourse analysis technical communication
  4. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jan 2008
    Technical Writing in English Renaissance Shipwrightery: Breaching the Shoals of Orality ↗
    Elizabeth Tebeaux
    discourse analysis multimodality technical communication
  5. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2007
    The Intercultural Component in Textbooks for Teaching a Service Technical Writing Course ↗
    Natalia Matveeva
    discourse analysis technical communication scientific writing