Week 5 Reading Summary

Lisa Gluckman z5020528

Reading 1 - Writing with Light: An Iconographic-Iconologic Approach to Refugee Photography by

Caroline Lenette

Outline
This text explores the ways in which refugee photography is used to portray situations of
stress & urgency
The reasons behind this are to implore audiences to raise awareness and increase visibility
Through an iconographic-iconologic lens, Lenette provides a critical analysis of photographic
representations of refugees in order to provide a unique understanding of their experiences
Utilises four photographs as representations of different refugee situations from a collection
20-35 years ago
Caroline Lenette explores the aims of refugee photography in the media as a tool to evoke
strong emotions in audiences, in the hope that they will trigger 'compassion, fear or empathy'
She then goes onto explain how public perceptions of refugee photography are often
manipulated to become negative by the media (e.g. fear mongering, depersonalizing,
dehumanizing)
Adds that sometimes in can work in opposition, often using religious imagery
The images can 'speak back' or portray a message but should not be mistaken with the
'voice' of the subjects of the images
Usually creates distance between western viewer and the image subjects
Creation of empathy despite little common ground
Lenette then provides us with some context to finding the aforementioned 4 photographs as
well as her immediate reactions and emotions upon examining them
However in order to approach the images from an anthropological perspective rather than
one influenced by emotion, Lenette developed a framework used in the analysis of the images
(taken by A.Hollmann & an unknown photographer

Lenette
discusses the ethical
issues and concerns that
have the potential to
come up when exploring
the use of visual
representations within
research (e.g. consent
towards the taking of the
pictures, the legitimacy of
the photographs or
whether or not the
subjects of the
photographs were alive
still)
She also explores the issues linked with the importance of positionality and the effect that
making assumptions and her own cultural context could have on her critical analysis of these
pictures
Caroline Lenette also acknowledges the limitations of her research
 She adds that despite the age of these photographs they still carry much relevance in today's
society and the way we as members of the first world react to imagery of refugees and their
experiences

Reading 2 - Media and the Geographies of Climate Justice: Indigenous Peoples, Nature and the
Geopolitics of Climate Change by Anna Roosvall and Matthew Tegelberg

Outline
Examining the implications of climate change and how it is understood within the public
resulting in public justice, action and protest
Discusses the relationships between people, places, politics, nature and the media
Argues the misframing of indigenous people at climate summits in regards to climate change
Explores our focus on climate change yet neglect to help our indigenous communities who
often live amongst the environment that is being effected
The ignored voices of our indigenous people when tackling climate change
Tegelberg & Roosvall argue that media research on climate change must address people,
places, geography politics etc. when addressing the effects of climate change and climate
justice
They explore the way in which scales of geography and justice must interweave in order to
take a holistic and all encompassing approach to climate justice
They acknowledge that in western society we understand nature as a separate entity from
humans, however in most indigenous communities there is an intrinsic link between humans
and nature.
The commodification of nature under a consumerist, capitalist structure vs. the worship and
sacredness of nature in indigenous communities
Tegelberg & Roosvall provide us with examples of climate change activism in American
communities, emphasizing the discursive acts of collonialism
How climate change theorizing has the capacity to inform media research on climate change
and indigenous people
They acknowledge the importance of gaining indigenous perspective and providing a
platform for indigenous people to voice their opinions and assert their rights as traditional
owners of the land
They note the frustration that indigenous people face when trying to gain adequate space to
voice their opinions on nature justice and many climate change summits who fail to
acknowledge their intrinsic and original link with the land and that these voices are a catalyst
for change, both politically and environmentally

Case Study/Example - The Dakota Access Pipleline

Government refused to listen
Commodification of Nature vs. the sacredness of land to indigenous communities
Activism & Protest
Media giving voice to the indigenous community
Media intervention & coverage was very mixed
Police and political intervention
http://www.smh.com.au/world/showdown-looms-for-standing-rock-protesters-over-dakota-
access-pipeline-20170222-guj4qs.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38924160
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/23/dakota-access-pipeline-camp-cleared-
standing-rock

Questions or Discussion Points

 Why is it so hard for some governments to acknowledge indigenous communities within
their countries?
Is it important for us to give refugees and indigenous communities a leg up to level the
playing field?
Are there more cases of refugee abuse that we're not seeing? Should there be more or less
coverage of this.