Emotional solidarity: social movements’ framing of migration

Author(s) : Mojca Pajnik, Marko Ribać

Source : https://doi.org/10.1080/14742837.2025.2470240

Abstract:

The analytical current of researching emotions and affectivity has accelerated in the last decade, examining the social dynamics of emotions, which has also been referred to as the ‘affective turn’ in late capitalism. This paper contributes to the theorization of the affective in the field of social movement analysis, which has remained a neglected field of inquiry in attempts towards a ‘normalization of affects,’ beyond the traditional binaries (rational-emotional, public-private) in addressing social issues. We consider emotions to be part of the social and cultural processes that assist social movements; they widen the scope of new imaginaries and forms of belonging. For this reason, we place emotions at the focus of analysis, as discursively expressed ‘moral batteries’ that foster action. Empirically, we conduct frame analysis by examining public documents in selected cities in five European countries (Denmark, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland) on topics related to migration. We compare the framing processes across these multiple local sites, and we investigate if and to what an extent the documents exhibit affective communication, which distinctly impacts the documents use, and how these affects form movements’ ‘affective discourse’: i.e. how emotions are attached to formulating problems and solutions in movement’s public appeals with respect to migration and migration policy. Our findings show how movements use different strategies in mobilizing affects. On the one hand, they engage in empathy and compassion with migrants vis-à-vis border and detention regimes, and on the other hand, they exhibit anger and frustration when discussing harmful actions taken by state officials. This contributes to a high degree of ‘affective resemblance’ among solidarity social movements.

KEYWORDS:

• Social movements
• frame analysis
• emotions
• affects
• migration