'Disturbing disparity in education': refugees' self-positioning and resistance to barriers they face in Mexico

Abstract This study aims to raise awareness of refugee education due to the increased shortage of educational access for refugees. The language interplays within educational discourse to discover the narrative in the speech. This study analyzes Adriana Figueredo Costero's speech as a refugee representative in the United Nations conference under the discussion of refugee education. The study focuses on refugee portrayal based on the speaker’s perspective on the discussion related to refugee education in Mexico. This research is conducted under a qualitative approach by using Fairclough’s three-dimensional model and Halliday’s systemic functional linguistic approach. The result of the study indicates that the disparity in refugee education is triggered by unfulfilled basic needs, administrative adversity, and public sentiment toward refugees. Second, the conference is used as a means of negotiation from refugees toward the society and government. Third, the conference is used to construct a positive portrayal of refugees through the subject positioning. The speech also reflects the social perspective toward refugees. This research has contributed to the applied theories in language study and its involvement in discourse and society.