Host societies have a number of parameters to designate what they consider ‘good’ or ‘desirable’ migrants, compared to ‘bad’ or ‘undesirable’ migrants. Both governments and societies promote these parameters – with laws and regulations, such as a points system of immigration; or by exalting or criticising particular attitudes, conditions and behaviours, such as praising or even expecting fluency in the host country language. This paper focuses on how the Venezuelan migrants position themselves, and others, within this idea of being ‘desired’ and ‘undesired’ migrants, within the context of Bogota, Colombia. Using theories of ‘aporophobia’ and ‘pigmentocracy’ as analytical approaches, it discusses how migrants categorise themselves and others, and how they differentiate themselves from those they consider ‘bad’ or less desirable. The paper draws from ethnographic interviews and analyses how ‘othering’ takes place within migrant communities.
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Devis-Amaya, Esteban
School of Education, Humanities and Languages
Year of publication: 2023Date of RADAR deposit: 2023-08-21