Migrant Feelings, Migrant Knowledge: Building a Community Archive

The digital storytelling project Humanizing Deportation invites migrants to share their own stories in the world's largest and most diverse archive of its kind. With Migrant Feelings, Migrant Knowledge, the project coordinator, Robert Irwin, and other team members introduce the innovative participatory methodology, drawing out key issues regarding the human consequences of contemporary migration control regimes and insights from migrants whose world-making endeavors may challenge what we think we know about migration.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 22 November 2022
Publisher: University of Texas Press

The digital storytelling project Humanizing Deportation invites migrants to present their own stories in the world's largest and most diverse archive of its kind. Since 2017, over 300 community storytellers have created their own audiovisual testimonial narratives, sharing their personal experiences of migration and repatriation. With Migrant Feelings, Migrant Knowledge, the project coordinator, Robert Irwin, and other team members introduce the project's innovative participatory methodology, drawing out key issues regarding the human consequences of contemporary migration control regimes, as well as insights from migrants whose world-making endeavors may challenge what we think we know about migration.

In recent decades, migrants in North America have been treated with unprecedented harshness. Migrant Feelings, Migrant Knowledge outlines this recent history, revealing stories both of grave injustice and of seemingly unsurmountable obstacles overcome. As Irwin writes, "The greatest source of expertise on the human consequences of contemporary migration control are the migrants who have experienced them," and their voices in this searing collection jump off the page and into our hearts and minds.

The project's participatory methodology involves engaging migrants in the creation of their own audiovisual testimonial narratives, which are then shared with a wider audience. This approach allows migrants to have a voice in the conversation about migration and to share their experiences in their own words. The project has been successful in raising awareness about the human consequences of contemporary migration control regimes and in challenging the dominant narratives about migration.

One of the key insights from the project is that migration is not just a political issue, but also a deeply personal one. Migrants are not just numbers or statistics, but individuals with complex lives and experiences. The project seeks to humanize the migration experience by highlighting the stories of migrants and their contributions to society.

Another important aspect of the project is its commitment to intersectionality. Migrants are often marginalized and discriminated against based on their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and other factors. The project recognizes the importance of addressing these intersecting forms of oppression and works to create a space where migrants can share their experiences and receive support.

The project has also been successful in building community among migrants and their supporters. Through workshops, events, and social media campaigns, the project has brought together migrants from different backgrounds and cultures, creating a sense of belonging and solidarity.

In conclusion, Humanizing Deportation is a powerful project that seeks to humanize the migration experience and to challenge the dominant narratives about migration. Through its innovative participatory methodology, the project has given migrants a voice in the conversation about migration and has helped to build a community of support for migrants. The insights from the project have important implications for policymakers, activists, and individuals who are interested in promoting human rights and dignity for all migrants.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781477326237