Unit 2: The Visual Politics of Migration: Constructing the Representation of Refugeehood and Displacement

Welcome to the second unit in this module which is focused on the visual politics of migration and the way representations of refugeehood are constructed.

We’ll be looking at how the strategic deployment of visual imagery by the media influences public perceptions, either reinforcing or challenging dominant discourses on migration.

This unit is divided into three sections in which we’ll be presenting the following three main topic areas:

1. What do we mean by the visual politics of migration?
2. What are the key concepts in the (self)-representation of refugeehood?
3. What are the methods we use in analyzing the (self)-representation of migration?

After studying this unit, you will:

• understand how the strategic deployment of visual imagery by the media influences public perceptions, either reinforcing or challenging dominant discourses on migration;
• have an analytical framework for understanding the visual politics of migration, focusing on how media construct and shape narratives of displacement and self/representation;
• be able to use key methodological approaches in the visual analysis of migration.

Throughout the unit you will have the opportunity – which we highly recommend you take – to explore additional sources of information through the Exercises sections. Independent analytical work will help you develop a more nuanced understanding of the core information provided in the unit.

Further resources and a reading list of Primary (marked in bold) and Secondary sources are provided at the end. This will provide you with material for further exploration of the different aspects of the visual politics of migration.