Borders and Populations

“Irregular migration” refers to migration that is also described in the United States as “illegal,” though “irregular” avoids suggesting criminality.

Language, Please is a living resource that will be regularly updated. We’re working hard on an entry for this topic — please check back in soon.

Language, Please is a living resource that will be regularly updated. We’re working hard on an entry for this topic — please check back in soon.

Language, Please is a living resource that will be regularly updated. We’re working hard on an entry for this topic — please check back in soon.

Language, Please is a living resource that will be regularly updated. We’re working hard on an entry for this topic — please check back in soon.

“Migrant” is an umbrella term for anyone who moves within or outside of their country of residence. Being specific about the situation in question and someone’s motivation for the move can help bring clarity to a story. For example, referring to people who are fleeing war or persecution as “refugees” will highlight the necessity of their move in a way that recognizes their situation.

A “migrant worker” is a person who moves to another country, often temporarily, for the purpose of seeking employment. Migrant workers are referred to by various other terms, including “foreign workers,” “seasonal workers,” “guest workers,” or “temporary contractual workers,” though the first term may be othering and can insert a note of bias into any description of someone’s experience.

Language, Please is a living resource that will be regularly updated. We’re working hard on an entry for this topic — please check back in soon.

“Nationalism” is a sense of belonging to a place or a people united by language, culture, customs, or religion. It’s often associated with independence and liberation but can be exclusive and insular. When reporting about this topic, it can help to be specific about the type of nationalism you are referring to and to give some explanation for the term, for example white nationalism, which focuses on the supposed superiority of white people over nonwhite people; or ethnonationalism, which defines nationalism in terms of a shared ethnicity.

Naturalization is the conferring of the nationality of a state upon a person after birth. If seeking to promote the inclusion of naturalized citizens as full members of society, describing how someone obtained their citizenship should generally only be mentioned if necessary to the story, as it can “other” them in the eyes of the audience.