Visualizing the European migrant crisis on social media: the
relation of crisis visualities to migrant visibility

J 2023

Visualizing the European migrant crisis on social media: the relation of crisis visualities to migrant visibility

DOBOŠ, Pavel

Basic information

Original name

Visualizing the European migrant crisis on social media: the relation of crisis visualities to migrant visibility

Authors

DOBOŠ, Pavel

Edition

Geografiska Annaler, Series B: Human Geography, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023, 0435-3684

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Article in a journal

Field of Study

50701 Cultural and economic geography

Country of publisher

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Confidentiality degree

is not subject to a state or trade secret

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 1.700

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/23:00134010

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1080/04353684.2022.2098156

UT WoS

000825777700001

EID Scopus

2-s2.0-85133650899

Keywords in English

visuality; visibility; European migrant crisis; montage; Facebook; Czech Republic

Abstract

In the original language

The paper analyses popular geographical imageries of the European migrant crisis. It focuses on visualities that shaped discussions about the event among Czech Facebook users with anti-immigration attitudes. The paper elaborates on the co-production of migrants' visibility and visualities that depict them in certain ways. Visuality influences visibility and shapes what it means for people (who are represented by images) to be visible in certain ways when seen by another people (who observe and consume the images). Here, we analyse how cartographic visualizations and the practice of montage of images produce meanings and affects that make migrants either visible only as abusers of the Czech social welfare system (linking migrants in a racist way to the Roma minority) or visible only as dehumanized raging Muslim invaders that resemble more machine-like beings. These interpretations are explained with references to historical specificities of the Czech context. A user-made, film-like sci-fi video of the crisis is also analysed carefully to demonstrate its imaginary of a collapsing Western Europe, where raging invaders dominate. Presenting migrants' visuality as invaders links these racist and Islamophobic attitudes to migrants' visibility as enemies and targets to be killed, not pitiable human beings to be helped.

Links

GA20-03708S, research and development project

Name: Geografie znevýhodnění: nevidomá zkušenost s urbánním prostorem

Investor: Czech Science Foundation

Cite

DOBOŠ, Pavel. Visualizing the European migrant crisis on social media: the relation of crisis visualities to migrant visibility. Geografiska Annaler, Series B: Human Geography. Taylor & Francis Group, 2023, vol. 105, No 1, p. 99-115. ISSN 0435-3684. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/04353684.2022.2098156.

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   author = {Doboš, Pavel},
   article_number = {1},
   doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/04353684.2022.2098156},
   keywords = {visuality; visibility; European migrant crisis; montage; Facebook; Czech Republic},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0435-3684},
   journal = {Geografiska Annaler, Series B: Human Geography},
   title = {Visualizing the European migrant crisis on social media: the relation of crisis visualities to migrant visibility},
   url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/04353684.2022.2098156},
   volume = {105},
   year = {2023}
}

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PB  - Taylor & Francis Group
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KW  - visuality
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KW  - Facebook
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N2  - The paper analyses popular geographical imageries of the European migrant crisis. It focuses on visualities that shaped discussions about the event among Czech Facebook users with anti-immigration attitudes. The paper elaborates on the co-production of migrants' visibility and visualities that depict them in certain ways. Visuality influences visibility and shapes what it means for people (who are represented by images) to be visible in certain ways when seen by another people (who observe and consume the images). Here, we analyse how cartographic visualizations and the practice of montage of images produce meanings and affects that make migrants either visible only as abusers of the Czech social welfare system (linking migrants in a racist way to the Roma minority) or visible only as dehumanized raging Muslim invaders that resemble more machine-like beings. These interpretations are explained with references to historical specificities of the Czech context. A user-made, film-like sci-fi video of the crisis is also analysed carefully to demonstrate its imaginary of a collapsing Western Europe, where raging invaders dominate. Presenting migrants' visuality as invaders links these racist and Islamophobic attitudes to migrants' visibility as enemies and targets to be killed, not pitiable human beings to be helped.
ER  -

DOBOŠ, Pavel. Visualizing the European migrant crisis on social media: the relation of crisis visualities to migrant visibility. \textit{Geografiska Annaler, Series B: Human Geography}. Taylor \&{} Francis Group, 2023, vol.~105, No~1, p.~99-115. ISSN~0435-3684. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/04353684.2022.2098156.

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