“DE-/SECURITIZING” DURING A TIME OF CRISIS: ANALYZING ITALY’S AND GERMANY’S NARRATIVE AS A Thesis submitted to the faculty of San Francisco State University 7j o \°l In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Arts In International Relations by Joshua William Jose Salazar San Francisco, California Fall 2019 Copyright by Josiiua William Jose Salazar 2019 CERTIFICATION OF APPROVAL I certify that I have read “De-/Securitizing” During a Time of Crisis: Analyzing Italy’s and Germany’s Narrative by Joshua William Jose Salazar and that in my opinion this work meets the criteria for approving a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree Master of Arts in International Relations at San Francisco State University. Amy Skonieczny, Ph.D. Associate Professor Professor “De-/Securitizing” During a Time of Crisis: Analyzing Italy’s and Germany’s Narrative Joshua William Jose Salazar San Francisco, California 2019 The purpose of this thesis is to examine Italy’s and Germany’s contrasting, discursive and physical responses of today’s “European refugee and asylum-seeking crisis.” While some argue that Europe is a full-fledged, securitized garrison, others argue that it is liberalizing and embracing cosmopolitan liberal ideals. This thesis argues that the European Union is doing both. Particularly, it dissects both Angela Merkel’s and Germany’s desecuritization narrative as well as Matteo Salvini’s and Italy’s securitization narrative vis-a-vis the “European refugee and asylum-seeking crisis” between 2016 and 2019. Italy’s liberalism crisis has led to the securitization of refugees and asylum seekers; in contrast, Germany’s spreading of cosmopolitan liberalism had led to the desecuritization of refugees and asylum seekers. The purpose of examining these two approaches is to help us better understand the geopolitical divergences within the European bloc. This thesis develops from the Copenhagen School and supplements their existing de/securitization theories with proximization theory. Last, via both contextual and narrative analyses, this thesis also examines identity(s) (i.e. German-ness/Italian-ness), and how ontological, physical, cultural, or economic (in)securities engender the de-/securitization of immigrant bodies. I certify that the Abstract is a correct representation of the content of this Thesis u/rj-wi 1 Chair, Th^isA Committee Date “De/Sekurisation” Wahrend der Krise: Analyse der deutschen und italienischen Erzahlung Joshua William Jose Salazar San Francisco, California 2019 In dieser Studie werden Italiens und Deutschlands gegensatzliche Reaktionen auf „Europas Fluchtlings- und Asylbewerberkrise“ sowohl auf der Sprach- als auch auf der Handlungsebene untersucht. Wahrend einige Europa als hermetisch abgeschottete Gamison sehen, betrachten sie andere als liberalisierend und kosmolitisch-liberale Ideen verkorpemd. Diese Studie zeigt, dass die Europaische Union beides tut. Es werden insbesondere sowohl Angela Merkels und Deutschlands Narrativ der Desekurisation analysiert als auch Matteo Salvinis und Italiens Narrativ der Sekurisation hinsichtlich „Europas Fluchtlings- und Asylbewerberkrise“ zwischen 2016 und 2019. Italiens Liberalismuskrise fuhrte zu der Sekurisation von Fluchtlingen und Asylbewerbem, wohingegen der sich in Deutschland ausbreitende kosmopolitische Liberalismus zu der Desekurisation dieser fuhrte. Durch die Analyse dieser beiden Herangehensweisen konnen wir die geopolitischen Unterschiede innerhalb Europas besser verstehen. Diese Arbeit basiert auf dem Ansatz der Kopenhagener Schule und ersetzt ihre Theorien der De/Sekurisation mit der Theorie der Proximation. SchlieBlich werden durch kontextuelle und narrative Analysen Identitaten (also Deutsch-Sein und Italienisch-Sein) untersucht. Auch wird aufgezeigt, wie ontologische, physische, kulturelle oder wirtschaftliche (Un)Sicherheiten die De/Sekurisation von Eindwanderer erzeugen. “De / Cartolarizzazione” Durante un periodo di crisi: analisi della narrativa italiana e tedesca” Joshua William Jose Salazar San Francisco, California 2019 Lo scopo di questa tesi e di esaminare le risposte contrastanti, discorsive e fisiche dell'Italia e della Germania dell'attuale "crisi europea in materia di rifugiati e richiedenti asilo". Mentre alcuni sostengono che l'Europa e a pieno titolo, un territorio sicuro, altri sostengono che si stia liberalizzando e che stia abbracciando ideali liberali cosmopoliti. Questa tesi sostiene che l'Unione europea stia facendo entrambe le cose. In particolare, analizza la narrativa sulla profanazione di Angela Merkel e della Germania, nonche la narrativa sulla cartolarizzazione di Matteo Salvini e dell'Italia nei confronti della "crisi europea in materia di rifugiati e richiedenti asilo" tra il 2016 e il 2019. La crisi del liberalismo in Italia ha portato alia cartolarizzazione dei rifugiati e richiedenti asilo; al contrario, la diffusione della Germania del liberalismo cosmopolita aveva portato alia profanizzazione di rifugiati e richiedenti asilo. Lo scopo di esaminare questi due approcci e di aiutarci a comprendere meglio le divergenze geopolitiche all'intemo del blocco europeo. Questa tesi si sviluppa dalla Scuola di Copenaghen e integra le teorie di de / cartolarizzazione esistenti con la teoria della prossimita. Infine, attraverso analisi sia contestuali che narrative, questa tesi esamina anche l'identita (le identita tedesche / italiane) e il modo in cui i titoli ontologici, fisici, culturali o economici (in) generano la dei corpi degli immigrati. ACKOWLEDGEMENTS While the scope of this thesis initially grew out of my earlier research on immigration, I owe it to Professor Ellis for helping me to navigate the complex theories on immigration studies. Second, I owe it to Professor BanerJee for igniting an interest within me to consider constructivism for the research on identity(s). Third, I owe it to Professor Skonieczny for introducing narrative analyses to me. Finally, I would like to thank my advisors Professors BanerJee and Skonieczny, as their insightful comments and suggestions have helped to actualize and complete this research. I would like to express my utmost gratitude to both my family and friends for their constant support on this project. However, I would like to personally recognize Florence and Lauren for their endless laughs, support, and insight. All of this goes without saying that I am indebted to all of my fellow undergraduate and graduate students and professors. This fulfilling, intellectual, academic, and professional Journey would not have been possible without them. LIST OF FIGURES Figures Page 1. Figure 1: Coded Network for Salvini-Sackur Interview...............................................105 2. Figure 2: Coded Network for Salv’ni’s Live Broadcast......................................... 106 3. Figure 3: Coded Network for Salvini’s Rally in M ilan.................................................107 4. Figure 4: Coded Network for Merkel’s NYE Address................................................. 108 5. Figure 5: Merkel’s First Bundestag Address................................................................. 109 6. Figure 6: Coded Network for Merkel’s Second Bundestag Address........................... 110 viii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures.........................................................................................................................viii Chapter 1 Introduction: The Turn of an Immigration Crisis?................................................1 Chapter 2 Methodology...................................................................................................... 6 Methodological Departure Point...................................................................10 Qualitative Data: Speeches........................................................................................11 Qualitative Approach: Critical Discourse Analysis.................................................13 Qualitative Approach: Semiotic Analysis................................................................ 15 Qualitative Approach: Context Analysis...................................................................16 Quantitative Data: Public Opinion Polls, Voting Trends, National ProJect and Agencies...................................................................................................................... 17 Quantitative Approach: Lexicometric Analysis.......................................................18 Methodological Research Limitations.......................................................................20 Chapter 3 Literature Review..................................................................................................23 Narratives....................................................................................................................23 The Copenhagen School.............................................................................................24 Desecuritization.......................................................................................................... 26 Securitization...............................................................................................................27 Cosmopolitan Liberalism 30 Criticism......................................................................................................................32 Chapter 4: An Analysis of Italy’s Securitization Narrative................................................. 36 Sackur-Salvini Interview............................................................................................36