Migration and health – an issue dominated by human rights or security? A discourse analysis of the World Health Organization and Swedish media

Abstract: The health effects of migration receive increased attention in Sweden and internationally, and involves both the effects on the health of migrants and the society. The field encompasses issues such as how migrants’ health is affected by the hazardous journey, if the health needs differ from the host population and if migration have any consequences for public health in the recipient country. These issues represent two different perspectives on health – health as a human right and health as security issue. This thesis has investigated which of these perspectives dominate the debate regarding migrants’ health in the World Health Organization as well as in Swedish media and what the implications are of the two approaches. The method Critical Discourse Analysis has been used to study official documents from WHO and editorials and debate articles in Swedish media regarding health screening of migrants. The theoretical framework is constituted by human rights, securitization theory and global health security. The findings are that human rights dominate within WHO while the security perspective dominates in Swedish media, which frames migrants as carriers of diseases potentially threatening the host population.