The differentiated politicization of free movement of people in the EU. A topic model analysis of press coverage in Austria, Germany, Poland and the UK. Issue 2 (1st February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Blauberger, Michael; Heindlmaier, Anita; Hofmarcher, Paul; Assmus, Josephine; Mitter, Birgit
• Is Part Of: Journal of European public policy. Volume 30:Issue 2(2023)
• Page Start: 291
• Page End: 314
• Publication Date: 2023-02-01
• Subjects: Free movement of people -- politicization -- topic modelling -- emigration -- policy styles; European Union countries -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Political planning -- European Union countries -- Periodicals; Politique publique -- Pays de l'Union européenne -- Périodiques; Pays de l'Union européenne -- Politique et gouvernement -- Périodiques; 361.61094
• DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2021.1986118
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-1763

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The free movement of people (FMP) has been a core principle of European Union (EU) integration since its beginnings, but it has recently become contested. This article traces the politicization of FMP, and the topics associated with it, over time and across countries. Rather than constituting a linear or uniform trend, we argue that the politicization of FMP is differentiated: it is driven by particular events such as Eastern enlargement, mitigated by restrictive domestic policies anticipating the expansion of EU free movement rights, and that FMP is salient, but not polarized, from an emigration country perspective. Combining structural topic modelling and qualitative text analysis, we compare three decades of news coverage of FMP in Austria, Germany, Poland and the UK.