Populist Variations on Migration: Floating Signifiers of Mobility in the Context of the ‘Balkan Route’ and the COVID-19 Pandemic

By focusing on the ongoing events of so-called ‘Balkan Route’ and Covid-19 pandemic this paper explores how populist representations migrants in Western Balkans rest specific historically embedded framings migration. Based long-term ethnographic insights media analysis Serbia images (good/bad) tend to play out as unstable ‘floating signifiers’ particular ways which is grounded ambivalent perceptions primarily two legacies patterns migration crucial for region: work forced The traces how, firstly, image diligent migrant loyal nationalist politics can surprisingly easily turn into one irresponsible threatening figure returning very culprit (spreading virus taking advantage health system). based history transformation emigration from former Yugoslavia Europe since 1960s its interrelation with nationalism. Secondly, I will argue that ‘usage’ ‘Muslim migrant’ along the©so-called seems be ‘flexible’ ‘variable’ due presence Muslim populations region. thus simultaneously or alternately appear subject legitimate humanitarian aid freedom movement (with no reference religion at all), well other’.