Metaphorical conceptualization of migration control laws: Narratives of oppression

Abstract

This article analyzes the way in which migration control laws are metaphorically conceptualized in the voices of individuals who demonstrate emotional solidarity with irregular immigrants. The metaphors studied are shown to constitute a coherent conceptual corpus that reveals their users’ ideology. These metaphors present a cultural narrative that affects the moral consideration of the characters involved in the story. They also reflect the perception of those who feel oppressed by the dominant social group and therefore, they are narratives of oppression, in juxtaposition to the narratives of hegemony that can be identified in the metaphors used in hostile political speeches against this social group.