How Is 'the Immigrant' Constructed? A Discourse Analysis during the Establishment of IMER at Malmö University : A Postcolonial Discourse Analysis of the Immigrant as Category, Place, and Knowledge Production

Immigrants share one experience — they have all migrated. But they do not share a collective identity that makes them a homogeneous group. Nevertheless, they are often treated as if one solution fits all — when everyone is seen through the same lens, differences are erased, and complex experiences are reduced to a single narrative. This thesis explores how “the immigrant” was represented as a challenge during the establishment of the International Migration and Ethnic Relations (IMER) programme at Malmö University in 1997. Through a critical discourse analysis of government reports and policy documents using Carol Bacchi’s “What’s the Problem Represented to be?” approach and drawing on the postcolonial and spatial theories of Sara Ahmed, Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Doreen Massey, and Irene Molina, the study shows how whiteness and dominant knowledge systems shape understandings of diversity, space, and belonging — often reinforcing institutional exclusion. The analysis reveals how discourse and power not only structure language but also shape social realities by maintaining norms and hierarchies. Migrants were constructed as a homogeneous and problematic group, while white researchers were positioned as neutral problem-solvers. The findings underscore the need to reframe who defines research problems and whose knowledge counts. Immigration is not a singular experience — and should not be addressed with singular solutions.