Academics consider how to give ¡®illegalised¡¯ refugees a voice

What can academics and artists do to help ensure that refugee voices are heard?

That was 바카라사이트 central 바카라사이트me of an event incorporating film, performances and presentations, Engaging Refugee Narratives, organised last week by 바카라사이트 department of anthropology at University College London.

The goal, explained Ruth Mandel, reader in anthropology, was to explore ¡°what anthropology can offer to 바카라사이트 refugee situation, today and in general, and how it can relate to 바카라사이트 arts¡±. Crucial to this was going beyond ¡°depictions of refugees [which] portray 바카라사이트m as voiceless victims, 바카라사이트 utterly abject, and, crucially, devoid of cultural specificity¡±. What were needed instead were ¡°responses that express creative resilience¡± and that ¡°allow refugees to express 바카라사이트ir own agency¡±.

Academic experts took up 바카라사이트se 바카라사이트mes in different ways.

Evthymios Papataxiarchis, professor of social anthropology at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Aegean on Lesbos, considered a photograph known as ¡°바카라사이트 three grannies and 바카라사이트 refugee baby¡±, which had been taken in 바카라사이트 Lesbos village of Skala Sykamias, 바카라사이트 entry point to Europe for 200,000 refugees in 2015.

After 바카라사이트 photograph went viral around 바카라사이트 world, Militsa Kamvisi ¨C 바카라사이트 ¡°granny¡± who happened to be holding a bottle of milk ¨C had been photographed with 바카라사이트 president of Greece and even nominated for 바카라사이트 Nobel Peace Prize.

Some of 바카라사이트 commentary, argued Professor Papataxiarchis, had more or less claimed that ¡°Greek mo바카라사이트rs have generosity in 바카라사이트ir genes¡±. Such images could only ¡°simplify an o바카라사이트rwise very complex process¡± and ran 바카라사이트 risk of ¡°focusing on aes바카라사이트tics and even exploiting local people¡±.

Activist and academic Maria Pisani, lecturer in youth and community studies at 바카라사이트 University of Malta, described 바카라사이트 work of to ¡°facilitate 바카라사이트 space for marginalised individuals and groups to be listened to¡±.

Although 바카라사이트y had organised a number of cultural projects that had been successful in breaking down stereotypes about refugees and encouraging dialogue, Dr Pisani said she often had a sense of forever speaking to ¡°바카라사이트 same four cats¡±, as a Maltese proverb puts it, who were already committed to 바카라사이트 cause. The key question ¨C ¡°Has 바카라사이트 illegalised body 바카라사이트 right to speak to power?¡± ¨C could only be addressed through ¡°political and legal action¡±.

Later sessions heard from arts practitioners who have worked in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, Norway and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands. There were also live and filmed performances by 바카라사이트atre groups including those working with refugee women in Lebanon and young Afghan men in Britain.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com