Migration and Sustainable Development Goals in the Spanish press (2014-2021): topics, sources, and frames

Abstract

One of the biggest global challenges is the international movement of people. For this reason, the 2030 Agenda recognises the importance of migration for development within its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their respective targets. The objective of our analysis is to investigate the new situation introduced by the 2030 Agenda in relation to migration processes in the media, in this case based on eight leading Spanish newspapers between 2014 and 2021. This study uses the quantitative content analysis methodology and the framing approach. As frames, it uses the five themes proposed by the 2030 Agenda: People, Prosperity, Planet, Peace, and Partnerships. It is interesting to note that seven years after the 2030 Agenda was launched, the SDGs are not often cited by the Spanish press to analyse and discuss the migration phenomenon from a sustainability perspective. Moreover, it is observed that discourses on migration in terms of sustainability present a clear political approach that emphasises the framework of international partnerships and agreements in economic terms, a fact that can contribute to a change in audiences’ perception of the migration phenomenon. On the other hand, it should be noted that the frames chosen by newspapers to talk about the migration phenomenon coincide with each other, although slight differences can be observed in the themes and use of sources.