3 - Mapping Discourse and Humanitarianism Surrounding Southeast Asian Migrant Workers in Taiwan

Southeast Asian migrant workers have long grappled with exclusion and discrimination within local Taiwanese society, largely stemming from the racialized guest worker regime. Limited research, however, has delved into the discursive public discourse surrounding migrant labor in Taiwan, particularly the perceptions and boundary-drawing practices between Taiwanese citizens and migrant workers. This study investigates the responses of Facebook users to the "Migrant Mothers’ Aid Program," a crowdfunding initiative launched by a Taiwanese labor organization in 2021. This campaign sought compassionate support for pregnant migrant mothers and their infants. However, it also attracted a significant amount of hostile speeches. This paper employs textual analysis to chart the online discourse surrounding migration, focusing on hateful statements, including calls for the deportation of pregnant migrant workers. It also explores how migrant organizations narrate and present the stories of migrant mothers and how they seek the sympathy, empathy, oven compassion of potential donors. Despite migrant activists’ attempts to evoke public compassion, convincing the majority of netizens remains challenging due to the deeply entrenched racialized and discriminatory guest worker program. Through the textual analysis of Facebook posts, this study serves as a mapping exercise of migration discourse within Taiwan’s social media landscape. Moreover, it sheds light on potential trajectories for reform within the East Asian guest worker program.