How are migrants and refugees represented in media visual discourse in Quebec? This article explores the representation of migrants and refugees, particularly climate migrants, in Quebec media visual representations. Climate migrants, often perceived as "simple" migrants or as refugees due to a hitherto incomplete international legal definition, are faced with increasingly frequent, urgent, and irreversible displacements. Their vulnerability is exacerbated by the intensification of border restrictions, repulsion based on national security, and political and media discourses. In this context, we specifically focus on the precarious situation of climate migrants at the land border between Canada and the United States, particularly at "regular" and "irregular" entry points in Quebec. In exploratory research, this paper examines the media visual portrayal of these individuals and of topics related to them. We focus on a visual analysis of key Quebec written media between 2018 and 2023. It aims to identify the types of content presented and the key actors involved, analyze the images compositions, elements, and symbols to understand the messages they convey and interpret these messages in the context of the target audience and the media environment. Additionally, it discusses the use of visual rhetoric and its impact on the perception of migration issues. This study contributes to a better understanding of how migrants are portrayed, and the implications of such portrayals for public perception and attitudes toward migration.
Lajeunesse et al. (Fri,) studied this question.