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Visual Methods in Migration Studies

The purpose of this brief on “Visual Methods in Migration Studies: New possibilities, theoretical implications, and ethical questions” is to reflect critically on the use of visual methods in migration studies and to provide concrete examples of their application. The three authors propose to think of the adoption of a visual methodology as a way to access and produce knowledge within the field of migration studies, rather than relying on traditional disciplinary framing.

Based on a collection of empirical cases, they show that researchers can mobilise still and moving images, as well as mental maps, in the context of knowledge production. They argue that visual methods do generate new possibilities for data collection and analysis in the field of migration studies. The brief also highlights visuals’ methodological challenges, theoretical implications, as well as ethics.

This brief is based on a volume entitled “Visual Methods in Migration Studies: new possibilities theoretical implications, and ethical questions” co-edited by INTEGRIM members Karolina Nikielska-Sekula and Amandine Desille. The proposal has won the last IMISCOE-Springer competitive Call for Book proposal and will be published in 2020.

The Cross Migration Briefs on Methodological, Ethical and Epistemological Issues reflect on a range of methodological, ethical and epistemological questions in migration research, drawing both on concrete issues encountered in individual projects and wider topics in the field. Prepared in response to a call for papers, the briefs on methodological issues complement CrossMigration’s knowledge accumulation reports.