"There is a clear correlation between xenophobic discourse and anti-European Union speeches. This is therefore also a European problem," Zapata concludes.
The monitoring instrument has three different elements for identifying potentially problematic speeches.
If all three indicators come into play the speech is classified as anti-immigrant.
The first factor to be analysed is target audience. A speech referring explicitly and only to citizens and excluding immigrants trips the first indicator.
A speech framing the relationship between citizens and immigrants in terms of conflict and tension, with citizens being the 'positive' and immigrants being the 'negative', trips the second indicator.
The third factor concerns linguistic parametres. If generalisations, exaggerations, negative metaphors and/or dehumanising wording is used against a particular part of the population, this indicator kicks in.
"We classify a speech as xenophobic when these three elements are all present," says Zapata.
The team behind the report are looking into continuing their monitoring in Catalonia.
Meanwhile Zapata would like to apply the method to the new European Parliament, which will begin its work in autumn.
The study can soon be found on the Interdiscilinary Research Group on Immigration (GRITIM)website
http://euobserver.com/eu-elections/123741
