Digital media and international migration: Twitter discourse during the Canadian federal election

Abstract

AbstractAs a contentious, multidimensional issue, migration attracts significant media attention in affluent societies. While analysts have assessed coverage in traditional outlets, less is known about social media – digital platforms that facilitate the creation and sharing of content online. Working with a unique dataset of tweets from the 2019 Canadian federal election, this study analyses migration's representation within visible digital spaces. Employing content analytic methods, it offers new insight into the patterns of participation, claims‐making and engagement associated with the topic's online depiction. Alongside documenting significant lay involvement and creativity, it reveals communications were slightly negative and, reflecting the contemporary political climate, significantly more likely to feature identity‐based issues than economic and redistributive concerns. Messages from professional broadcasters, as well as, those featuring negative sentiments and referencing cultural matters generated greater engagement. The implications of these results and recommendations for future research are considered.