Journal Article

Narratives in power and policy design

Terlizzi, Andrea

2021

Overview

This article explores the relationship between policy narratives and the design of the Italian border management and external migration control regime in the last two decades. First, drawing from the theory of social construction and policy design and through a qualitative application of the Narrative Policy Framework, the article traces the evolution of narratives developed by key actors in government. Second, it investigates the design of the Italian externalization policy. Empirical material is drawn from government documents and decision-makers’ parliamentary interventions, press conferences, speeches, newspaper interviews and op-eds. The evidence shows that the dominant narratives have remained constant over time. Humanitarian rhetoric has been mobilized to justify and legitimize the implementation of security measures through bilateral agreements signed with African countries. The implications of such a design are relevant in that it poses serious concerns in terms of respect for migrants’ human rights. Overall, the article offers new insights into the empirical investigation of policy narratives and sheds light on the role of narratives in the social construction of migration policy design.

• Publisher: Springer Science + Business Media,Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Borders / Decision makers / Economic Policy / Human rights / Humanitarianism / Immigration policy / Migrants / Migration / Narratives / National security / Parliamentary systems / Policy making / Political Science / Political Science and International Relations / Political Science and International Studies / Public Administration / RESEARCH ARTICLE / Rhetoric / Security / Social construction / Speeches