The Portrayal of the Dis/abled Migrant : A Thematic Analysis Comparing Self-Representation and Humanitarian Approach in Photography

Abstract: While migrants and disabled people are often studied separately, this study examines the intersection of these two marginalized categories by investigating the construction of the dis/abled migrant's figure. The aim of this thesis is to understand the discourses at play in visual and textual representations of dis/abled migrants. Examining two forms of depiction, it compares photographs taken by migrants with dis/abilities themselves for a photovoice exhibition in Türkiye, with photographs taken from an official UNHCR document. By means of Constructionist Thematic Analysis, overarching themes of 'uneven power relations' and 'overcoming adversity' were encountered. Notions of family and social connections, childhood innocence, education, change, freedom and constraint could be determined, leading to a prospect of an eventual future change of paradigm going from perpetuated discourses of compassion and agency-lessness to humans being regarded as individuals with unique capacities and experiences.