‘Some viewers may find the following images disturbing’: Visual representations of refugee deaths at border crossings

Abstract

The emotional reaction and outrage following the publication of photographs of Alan Kurdi who drowned while crossing borders in September 2015 highlighted the major impact visual representations of refugee deaths at border crossings can have on public opinions and political will. The impact of these photographs also shows that depictions of deaths as a result of border crossings are relatively rare in the media; analyses of such representations and their potential impact on policy are also neglected in the literature. This article offers a commentary on the key themes linked to visual representations of refugee deaths at border crossings by considering three recent examples, and argues for further interdisciplinary discussions on such images. It focuses on two points: that depicting refugees alone has a greater impact on viewers and is more likely to trigger sympathy or outrage; concurrently, that anonymity can reduce viewers’ ability to connect with the tragedy. This discussion adds to the body of literature on the links between media representations and policymaking, and on the mediation of human vulnerability through visual means. The themes outlined here have much currency in contemporary discussions on refugee deaths at border crossings.