From desecuritisation to re-securitisation: Colombian refugees in Ecuador

Abstract

While securitisation theory proposed by the Copenhagen School has been widely discussed,
theoretical and methodological issues remain. Using Ecuador and Colombian refugees as a case
study, this work presents an analysis of the dynamics of (de)securitisation and assesses the most
common (de)securitising discourses and practices carried out by the elites. After determining the
frames used to construct and deconstruct refugees as a threat through discourse analysis, it
continues to evaluate the attitude of the Ecuadorian audience, gathered via surveys. Findings
demonstrate that the audience accepted some security frames more than others and had
different perceptions towards different categories of migrants. Using both qualitative and
quantitative methods can help to identify the speech acts and measure the approval of the
audience of securitising moves. The analysis of this case suggests that adopting a mixed-methods
approach is a viable tool in securitisation theory, despite its limitations.