This book provides a critical analysis of the politics of migration in Eastern Europe and an in-depth understanding of the role played by media and public discourse in shaping migration and migration policy.

Ruxandra Trandafoiu looks at emigration, diaspora, return, kin-minority cross-border mobility, and immigration in Eastern Europe from cultural, social and political angles, tracing the evolution of migration policies across Eastern Europe through communication, public debate and political strategy. Trandafoiu investigates the extent to which these potential ‘models’ or policy practices can be comparable to those in Western European countries, or whether Eastern Europe can give rise to a migration ‘system’ that rivals the North American one. Each chapter bridges the link between policy and politics and makes a case for considering migration politics as fundamentally intertwined with media representation and public debate. Drawing on comparative case studies of countries including Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine, the book considers how migration is both managed and experienced from political, social and cultural viewpoints and from the perspectives of a range of actors including migrants, politicians, policymakers and journalists.

This book will be key reading for advanced students and researchers of migration, media, international relations, and political communication.