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Efforts Taken In Support and Against Refugees During Crises
Efforts Taken In Support and Against Refugees During Crises
When examining the relationship between western powers and migrant populations, there is a distinct variance in treatment between migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers from the Global North, and those from the Global South. In order to better understand this disparity and the efforts taken in support or against refugees, we will need to first further examine the power dynamics and dichotomies in place.
Social Identity Theory was first coined by social psychologists Henri Tajfel and John Turner to describe the relationship between self-perception, group membership, and perceptions of other groups (Kalogeraki, 2022, p. 94). In relation to social identity theory are the concepts of “in-groups” and “out-groups”, in which “in-groups” are groups where an individual has membership and assigns positive characteristics to, and “out-groups” are groups outside of the individual’s social identity. “Out-groups” are often met with discrimination and negative association (Kalogeraki, 2022, p. 94). Social Identity Theory and the concept of “in-groups” and “out-groups” closely align with the concept of “us versus them”; placing yourself in a group while excluding others from the same group. These social constructions of “in-groups” and “out-groups” can lead to opinions formed about individuals with differing religion, race, and cultural groups. Unfortunately, these preconceived perceptions are then applied to migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers that may be from differing groups. The placing of individuals in these “other” groups, can lead to not only dehumanization, but through policies of exclusion, the reduction to “bare life”. Giorgio Agamben coined the term “bare life” to describe the reduction of the human and individual experience to a life devoid of rights and protections through a state (Agamben, 1995, p. 116) . With the perpetual stigmatization of groups that are “other” or “out-groups”, states continue to enforce policies that place migrant populations in the dangerous position of “bare life”, without protections, rights, and belonging.
A refugee camp in Lesvos, Greece. Photo by Elias Marcou.
Refugees arrive by boat to the Greek Island of Lesvos. Photo by Wikipedia user Ggia.
“In relation to in-groups and out-groups of social identity theory, individuals look for cultural cohesiveness within their group. If refugees come from different cultural backgrounds such as ethnicity, race, religious affiliation, etc, they are seen as the out-group, and are viewed as a threat to the in-group’s collective identity (Kalogeraki, 2022, p. 95)."
From page 15 of "Examination of the Syrian and Ukrainian Refugee Crises: What Makes a “Worthy” Refugee?" by Kristen Monroe, for JHR 505" Migration, Asylum & Refugees. Read the full piece here.
"According to what is often portrayed in the media, a “good refuge” is one that truly needs asylum (an arbitrary decision), one that is thankful, falls into line, and is virtually unseen. When governments, media, or citizens place refugees into these categories, it further contributes to the negative perceptions surrounding refugees. These negative perceptions allow governments to continue to justify and carry out exclusionary practice towards refugees (Sambaraju and Shrikant, 2023, p. 3)."
From page 12 of "Examination of the Syrian and Ukrainian Refugee Crises: What Makes a “Worthy” Refugee?" by Kristen Monroe, for JHR 505: Migration, Asylum & Refugees. Read the full piece here.
The Two Crises
The Two Crises
The 2015-2016 European Refugee Crisis and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine are prime examples of the difference of treatment between refugees of the Global North and that of the Global South. During the 2015-2016 Refugee Crisis, an influx of refugees from North Africa and the Middle East fled various wars and conflicts. Almost 2.5 million refugees, primarily from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, among other Middle Eastern and North African countries, entered Europe between 2015 and 2016 (Morrice, 2022, p. 251). Refugees entered Europe through EU member border countries such as Greece, Spain, and Italy, as well as non EU member-states such as Turkey. Though there were initial efforts to disperse refugees among the EU member states, including the more powerful western countries, these attempts quickly ceased and exclusionary policies and policies of containment quickly took hold. Greece having suffered a detrimental financial crisis in the years prior, was a prime scapegoat to help contain the "refugee problem".
The Ukrainian crisis triggered a much different response. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, over 8 million refugees would flee to neighboring states (Sambaraju and Shrikant, 2023, p. 2). Actions taken in support of Ukrainian refugees were quickly implemented. Immense financial support, free movment throughout the EU, rights to work and study, and public service and welfare benefits in some host countries were all services offered to Ukrainian refugees. These immediate measures to support Ukrainian refugees were unprecedented, and was greater than measures to support Syrian and Afghan refugees combined (Morrice, 2022, p. 252).
Why were refugees of the 2015-2016 crisis cast aside by the EU and its powerful member states while those of the crisis in Ukraine were embraced?
"Though the influx of millions of refugees would be met with a variety of challenges, the Ukrainian refugee crisis attracted “unprecedented political support” (Enriquez, 2022, p. 1). The political support and both the treatment and perceptions surrounding Ukrainian refugees was different from refugees from the Global South. Ukrainian refugees were portrayed positively compared to refugees from North Africa and the Middle East (Sambaraju and Shrikant, 2023, p. 4)."
From page 17 of "Examination of the Syrian and Ukrainian Refugee Crises: What Makes a “Worthy” Refugee?" by Kristen Monroe, for JHR 505" Migration, Asylum & Refugees. Read the full piece here.
Alan Kurdi
Alan Kurdi
In the work completed by Philippe Calain titled “Ethics and Images of Suffering Bodies in Humanitarian Medicine”, Calain discusses the moral and ethical responsibility that photographers have when photographing suffering bodies. In this conversation, the dignity of the individual being photographed plays an important role in deeming if a photograph is unethical. Though this is the case, Calain states that “a strong moral purpose can outweigh the unconsented display of extreme suffering” (2013, p. 281). If a photograph is able to spark action that can alleviate current suffering, or produces moral outrage to sway public opinion, then it can be argued to be of use.
Arguably, the photograph of Alan Kurdi sparked both moral outrage and action to address the European Refugee Crisis. Prior to Kurdi’s death and the published photo of his body, public opinion of Syrian refugees was negative and undeserving of migration into Europe. This incident, and the death and photograph of Alan Kurdi in particular helped reframe the influx of refugees as a “refugee crisis” (Sambaraju and Shrikant, p. 3). Additionally, this image contributed to the stream of humanitarian organizations and volunteers that would arrive in Greece and supply aid (Rozakou, p.102).
Though the image of Alan Kurdi is difficult to witness, it is an image that carries a tangible weight; a weight that demonstrates the need to protect migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees from the dangers of unsafe immigration; whether it be dangers from hostile environments, or the hostile actions of traffickers.
Trigger Warning:
This link below goes to a disturbing and powerful photo of Alan Kurdi, a two year old little boy who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea in 2015. Kurdi was a Syrian refugee whose family boarded an inflatable raft from Turkey in attempts to reach the shores of the Greek island of Kos. Though this photo is heartbreaking, it played a significant role in both public opinion and actions during the 2015-2016 Refugee Crisis.
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