Images of migration reflect regional and national ethos
Migration is increasing around the world, reshaping regional identities and the local perception of others. An understanding of how locals view migrants, and how they mirror their own status as internal others, can help combat antisocial tendencies such as racism and xenophobia. The phenomenon of migration has been thoroughly explored in surveys and dialogues over the years. The STREAM project, funded with support from the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, uses images to investigate the interplay between otherness and national ethos.
Images of migration spark reflection
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but according to project fellow Myriam Lamrani, pictures offered unique opportunities for reflection and conversation in the project. Lamrani states: “The use of images prompted conversations that would have been very different if they had been structured around questions. The freedom to explore pictures and engage in dialogue gave me hope that images can be a powerful tool to counteract racism and other forms of stereotyping.” The selected images were drawn from a variety of sources, including personal photos and videos, press photography and historical images. Most of the materials depicted stories of migration, showing the hardships many migrants face. “It was like the experience of scrolling through social media – seeing the beauty and the evils that befall the world – only slowed down to allow reflection on how these images make us feel,” Lamrani observes.
Crete and Oaxaca: migration routes and internal otherness
The project worked with small cohorts, most previously engaged in image-related research or connected to visual arts in Oaxaca in Mexico, and Crete in Greece. In these areas, the regional ethos forms part of the national identity yet remains distinct from it. In this way, it represents an identity of internal otherness which potentially affects how these individuals might view migrants. Both Oaxaca and Crete are located on migration routes for people moving from the global south towards better prospects in the global north. These regions also host more affluent migrants: digital nomads and retirees from abroad, mainly from the global north. In these areas, Lamrani found that local attitudes towards migrants differed depending on their social status. In both countries, many locals viewed poor migrants coming from the global south negatively, and fear of the other was common. In Oaxaca, migrants from specific Latin American countries were stereotyped as criminals. In Crete, widespread negative views on Islam connected Muslim migrants with religious extremism. On the other hand, most locals viewed digital nomads and wealthier retirees more as a nuisance to be tolerated because they provided economic benefits. They were seen as contributing to the local economy, but their presence also drove up the cost of living.
Hope for a change in ethos
STREAM provided many early-career opportunities for Lamrani: she presented her work at several prominent universities including Harvard, Panteion, McGill and Oxford. Lamrani also published and shared her work via a podcast, expanded her grant-writing abilities and furthered her photography and filmmaking skills. Lamrani is planning to publish a book based on STREAM that will include some of the images used in the project in conversation with the responses of the people who participated. Her hope is that a careful utilisation of images will help positively shape the public perception of migration.
Keywords
STREAM, visual images, otherness, national ethos, migration, migrants, Mexico, Greece
