Decolonization of the European public sphere: could migration phenomena be the way forward? Focus on narratives, processes and representations

Europe, as an historical “carrefour” of people and traditions, is currently facing the growing challenge of migration. Far from being a brand-new phenomenon, forced population movements have now become a primary salient issue among media, policy makers and civil society that require an all-encompassing stronger intergovernmental response. This, particularly in Europe where public opinions shifted their attention to causes and consequences of migration through frames, narratives and discourses that revealed the intrinsic westernized biased nature of the European public sphere (EPS), as per the customary definition put forth by Habermas. The central argument of this contribution is that migration, here conceived both as an object and a social process, could potentially serve as a consequential driving force for the decolonization of the EPS (Anthias & Pajnik, 2015) and the transition towards a more inclusive European public space. Since public spaces can be defined as sites of memory in which different groups express and negotiate their memories, claims, and values, migrants should not be left apart. According to Trostanova and Mignolo (2012), decolonization in this context means acknowledging the past power disparities, challenging and dismantling prevailing narratives, and including a variety of viewpoints in the use of frames that enable more inclusive discourses and representations within the framework of the EPS. By dispelling these biases and encouraging narratives that capture the complex realities of migrant personal experiences, stories and perspectives, the EPS could go through a pivotal process of decolonization that, in its turn, could benefit its cohesion and representativeness while transforming social attitudes and power structures that characterize it.